FLL Benelux final

Yesterday was the day of the FLL Benelux final. The FIRST® LEGO® League (FLL) is a competition that challenges kids in the age of 8 to 15 to undertake research into the role technology plays in society. This years theme was Body Forward and so a heap of teams presented solutions for heart failure, night vision,artificial limbs, wheelchairs with gearshifts, cool braces for kids with scolioses and other problems. The finals were held in Continium, the recently redone and re-openend science center in Kerkrade. I was part of the team jury judging the team work and that was nowhere near as easy as it looked! Quite a few schools and teams are by now experienced and it is hard to judge the authenticity and truthfulness of everything and everybody I found. And with some teams you feel that they did a great job, but it just doesn't show. And then there are the teams where it all comes together and they give you energy to move on in the wonderous field of science education. As always the entire event was presented by Hidde en Thomas, who outdid themselves once again as far as I'm concerned. And I even got to hand out an award, the one for best team coach. We wholeheartedly and uninanimously decided that it should go to the 13 year old who had coached her team of 13-15 year olds without help of any grown ups. She and the whole team did a wonderful job and it was my pleasure to give her the award. Although we were knackered by the time we got home, we totally enjoyed the experience and the warm hospitality of Continium. Thanks to the entire organising team! 

A few impressions (and yes, as we are getting close to Carnival in the South of Holland, Prince Carnaval was in attendance!):

The Green Coach from the German team

Prince Carnival in attendance

LEGO Basketball player

at the end of the day.....Packed and ready to go home