Rapid River robotics team invited to national competition
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RAPID RIVER -- The First Lego League robotics team from Rapid River, which is made up of 11 fourth and fifth graders, has been given an invitation to compete at the WPI FLL Open Invitational in Worcester, Massachusetts in June.
After competing at the regional competition at NMU in December, the team earned an invitation to compete downstate for the Michigan State Championship I on December 9. The team placed third out of 78 teams competing and took home the Third Place Champions Award.
After the completion of the three state championship competitions, Rapid River's final ranking put them in the top seven teams in the state of Michigan, out of the 726 teams in the league. This placement offered them an opportunity to go to the national event in Massachusetts.
The WPI Invitational is a world event, with teams representing many countries around the globe. Countries from Europe, South America, Africa and Asia will all be there, as well as many teams from across the United States.
Rapid River is the first Upper Peninsula FLL team in recent history to advance beyond the state level of competition, school officials said.
Support for the team will be needed as we get ready for this competition. Sponsorships for the robotics team are available and several fundraisers will be held in the coming months.
Also, an account at Baybank has been set up for those who would like to support the team directly.
People can follow the group's Facebook page, Rapid River Robotics, for information, behind the scenes photos and more as they get ready for the event.