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NEOHBots News
NEOHBOTS NEWS
Issue 3, 10/20/2015
LET’S TALK ABOUT
PROJECT
TRASH
IMPORTANT
DATES
We’re talking trash
at The University of
Akron.
The where, when,
who of upcoming FLL
and NEOHBots
events.
Teams – It’s time to
get serious about
TRASH TREK’S
PROJECT!
LET’S TALK ABOUT TRASH AT UA
Teams are getting serious about TRASH – so we
decided to look around campus at the current
state of sustainability at The University of
Akron.
The University of Akron Office of
Sustainability celebrates Blue and Gold,
and GREEN!
UA is currently updating its buildings, such
as Zook Hall, the former and new home,
for the LeBron James Family Foundation
College of Education to make them more
eco-friendly. Zook Hall will feature stateof-the-art heating and air conditioning,
LED lighting, windows, plumbing, and
updated technology for use in classrooms
and labs. All of these updates are not only
shrinking the campuses environmental
footprint, but they are also saving money
on expenses so those wasted dollars can
be used to improve other areas of campus.
Students staying on campus are provided a
convenient way to recycle. Each dorm room
has a recycling bin and instructions on what
can, and cannot, be recycled. Students place
plastics, papers, glass bottles, cardboard
boxes, old cell phones and other electronics
into their bin and Waste Management
Services will get it where it needs to go.
Commuters are given opportunities to do
their part when it comes to sustainability too!
There are numerous recycling bins placed
next to trashcans all across campus.
There are still some areas for improvement!
For example Styrofoam is still widely used
by dining services, Styrofoam is the leading
cause of marine debris and is resistant to
biodegradation.
Teams, how can your school improve their
environmental footprint? Is there a better
way to get rid of your classroom waste?
Submit your tips to your coach and get
featured in our next newsletter! Coaches,
submit your team ideas on Facebook or
Twitter
CONNECT WITH US:
Join us on Facebook!
NEOHBots FLL Connections
Follow us on Twitter!
NEOHBots Tweets
Learn more about NEOHBots at
https://www.neohstem.org/neohbots.php
Anything in red or underlined can be selected and you will
go right to that link.
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NEOHBots News
Issue 3, 10/20/2015
The Challenge
This year, the First Lego League (FLL) challenge is
called “Trash Trek”. Teams will explore trash – how
it’s made, where it goes when you throw it away,
and the implications of trash in our modern world.
More information found at:
http://www.firstlegoleague.org/
TRASH TREK PROJECT: TEAMS SOLVE
REAL WORLD PROBLEMS
SURROUNDING TRASH
Aside from working on their autonomous
robot in this year’s Robot Games, teams
will be tackling the real-world problem of
trash for their Project. Teams will identify a
problem with the way that we make or
handle trash, design an innovative solution
to that problem, and share that solution at
the competition. Think about the items that
you threw away today – could they have
been disposed of differently? Could they
have been used for another purpose?
Could someone else have used them? These
are the questions that teams will ask
themselves, and come up with a better
solution. The Project mission is to make less
trash or improve the way that we handle
the trash we make.
Handling trash involves a lot of work –
from transporting, to storing, to recycling,
and more, trash gets around. Teams will
start this part of the project by evaluating
the sources of trash; whether it’s
manufacturing waste, business waste, home
waste, or other and finding how where that
trash goes after it leave its owner. Does
someone else collect the trash? Can you
follow where the trash goes? What happens
to it at the end? Are there any parts of this
journey that can be improved (cleaner,
more efficient, etc.) Teams can contact local
professionals in the waste management
industry or zero-waste groups working to
make their community greener.
After identifying a problem, teams will work
together to find out about current solutions
to those problems. They’ll critique the
current solution and then design an
innovative solution that adds value to
society by improving something that
already exists, using something that exists in
a new way, or inventing something new.
Teams will brainstorm solutions, try a couple
different ideas, change their point of view,
imagine bigger and better solutions, and
finalize a perfect solution.
Finally, teams will present their solution at
the Trash Trek Competition. They should
consider presenting their solution to someone
who can provide feedback to improve their
process or design. Experts in the field can
learn just as much from teams as teams can
learn from experts – so don’t be afraid to
put your solution out there! And while teams
are out there solving our real world
problems, remind them to have fun.
Should you have any questions surrounding Volunteering or the Trash Trek Rally and Test
Run, please feel free to contact Karen Plaster [email protected] with questions
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:
UPCOMING EVENTS
Nov. 7 – Trash Trek Rally and Test Run,
Register at:
http://goo.gl/forms/e3Y8sbdMhW
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REGIONAL
Dec. 5 – Cleveland Orchard STEM School
Dec. 12 – Solon
Dec. 13 – Kirtland HS
DISTRICT
Jan. 9, 2016 – University of Akron
WE NEED VOLUNTEERS!
FIRST Lego League volunteers are
8,000+ strong. From college students,
to teachers, to parents, to FIRST
alumni, sponsors, and friends, FLL
volunteers embark on their own
journey, learning and growing along
with the FLL participants.
FLL Volunteers can mentor and help
teams through coaching, judge or
volunteer at a FLL event! Each FLL
event takes the coordinator,
teamwork, and leadership of many
individuals.
We need you!
Register today at:
https://my.usfirst.org/FIRSTPortal/Logi
n/VIMS_Login.aspx