First Lego League

Robotics Competition Teams (ages 9-14)

Brooklyn, NY

Competition Robotics at Penguin

Penguin Coding School has been coaching competition robotics teams since 2017. We field multiple teams every year and a few of our top teams have made it to the state championships.  There are two levels based on age & experience: First Lego League (FLL) for ages 9-14 which uses Lego Robot kits to complete mission challenges and research an innovative solution to a global problem and First Tech Challenge (FTC) for ages 12-18 which uses metal pieces, nuts & bolts, motors & servos to build "real" robots and organize community outreach and team fundraisers.

What is First Lego League?

First Lego League (FLL) is organized by a global non-profit called FIRST.  Hundreds of thousands of kids ages 9-14 participate in a season that spans 4-6 months where they build a fully autonomous Lego robot to solve various mission challenges, research an innovative solution to a global problem, and demonstrate teamwork and gracious professionalism.

Open to all skill levels and no pre-requisites.  We are open to coaching pre-existing teams or groups of friends if scheduling allows.

The FLL season starts in August/September and the children ages 9-14 form teams of 4 to 8 students and as a team decide on what robot to build, how to code it, what global problem to come up with an innovative solution for, and come together once a week (or more) to build their robots and prepare their research presentations. 

 At the end of the season, typically in December there is a Regional Tournament in one of many cities in Massachusetts that the teams get to participate.  The all day tournament is a great experience for all of our students. They get to see 100s of other excited students from all over the state compete and have fun all day.  

What is the Innovation Project?

First Lego League has a Innovation Project component where each team comes up with an "innovation" and give a 5 minute presentation on that subject to a panel of judges at the tournament.  From the simplest presentation with a poster board, to a full presentation with mock demo samples and a customer survey, teams put varying degrees of effort into it, but everyone gets first hand experience at giving a live presentation to the panel of judges.

FLL Penguin Coding Team Awards 🏆 2019 - 2023

2023

  • State Qualifiers: Banana Merangues, Titanium, Mechanical Monkeys, Motor Codes

  • Awards: Lightning Round Alliance States 2nd Place (Banana Merangues), Robot Design - 2nd Place (Titanium), Robot Design - 3rd Place (Mechanical Monkeys), Core Values - 3rd Place (Team A),  Special Judges Award (Motor Codes)  

2022

  • State Qualifiers: 7 Volts, Exploding Bananas

  • Awards: Champions Award (7 Volts), Robot Performance 2nd Place (7 Volts), Lightning Round Champion (S.T.A.R.K. Industries), Core Values - 1st Place (Exploding Bananas)

2021

  • State Qualifiers: Click'n Connectors, Waddlers 

  • Awards: Champions Award 2nd Place (Click'n Connectors), Lightning Round States Champion (Waddlers), Robot Design - 2nd Place (Handy Hippos)

2019

  • State Qualifiers: Penguins in the City

  • Awards: Alliance State 1st Place (Penguins in the City), Core Values - State 2nd Place (Penguins in the City), Core Values - 1st Place (Penguins in the City)

Interest Form

If you are interested in finding out more about how your child can participate in one of Penguin Coding School’s competition robotics teams, please fill out the form below and we would be happy to answer any questions you may have!

Meet our Past FLL Teams

  • Penguins in the City ('19 City Shaper)

  • The Awesome Four ('21 Cargo Connect)

  • Handy Hippos ('21 Cargo Connect)

  • Clicken' Connectors ('21 Cargo Connect)

  • Waddlers ('21 Cargo Connect)