The Congokids of the Congregational Church of Manhasset won the Construction Innovation Award in the 8th Long Island First Lego League Junior Expo on Saturday, Feb. 27. The Congokids are a team of six Port Washington first-and second-grade children. The award was for demonstrating creative thinking by creating excellent design and using quality components in their Lego model.
The First Lego League Junior (FLL Jr) is for children 6 to 9 years old to introduce them to basic design skills and a hands-on approach to science and technology through the familiarity of Lego. Every year, the First organization announces a theme that today’s scientists and engineers are working to solve. This year’s theme was Waste Wise. By researching their theme, the Congokids learned that throwing something in the trash is only the beginning. They learned to look at trash in a new way. The Congokids had only nine weeks to vote on a team name, design a logo and learn about what happens to waste in their community. They decided to research e-waste. When the Congokids were asked by the judges what was their favorite part of the experience, most of them mentioned the trip to Covanta Huntington, a waste-to-energy plant. After the trip, the Congokids decided to build a Lego model of Covanta. By incorporating simple machines and one mechanical part, the students demonstrated how garbage in the pit is burned and the steam turns the turbine to move the generator to produce electricity. Students watched clips of how landfills continue to fill up with materials that could be easily recycled and reused.
Congokids also learned about what happens to waste in other communities. Congokids team member Ryo showed the team the different ways Japan reuses and recycles to reduce its waste. The Congokids gathered their research and documented their experiences to create a Show Me Poster to accompany their Lego model. The Expo presented by School-Business Partnerships of Long Island, Inc. (SBPLI) and the Mineola Union Free School District was an opportunity for the Congokids to present their research and celebrate the hard work they have done as a team.
