Front (L-R): Aden Bardole, Lucy Vander Linden, Ethan Coil. Back (L-R):  Gavin Vander Linden, Kale Borgeson, and Chad Maston. Not pictured is Christopher Lansman. Photo courtesy of Wendy Vander Linden
Front (L-R): Aden Bardole, Lucy Vander Linden, Ethan Coil. Back (L-R): Gavin Vander Linden, Kale Borgeson, and Chad Maston. Not pictured is Christopher Lansman. Photo courtesy of Wendy Vander Linden

The Greene County Lego Leaguers participated in a regional competition this past Sunday in Boone.

The Greene County Godzillas competed in the First Lego League contest at the Des Moines Area Community College campus in Boone. The team designed and built a robot that earned them 61 points. Co-Coach Wendy Vander Linden says the kids also received a Project Award for the space suit they built as part of their research and innovative solutions to problems astronauts face in space.

Vander Linden adds that the Lego League teaches kids about their core values which are: discovery, innovation, inclusion, teamwork, creativity and fun. She feels as though their team achieved those values by working together to research, code a robot, collaborate on ideas, equally divide the workload and problem solve as a team.

To be on the Lego League team, the kids took a beginning robotics course this past summer with Greene County Extension. Those who were on the team include: Aden Bardole, Lucy Vander Linden, Ethan Coil, Gavin Vander Linden, Kale Borgeson, Chad Maston, and Christopher Lansman. They were coached by Wendy and Mark Vander Linden, Jason Smith, and Greene County Extension Youth and 4-H Coordinator Kayla Willms.