Tenacity, Knowledge, and Opportunity. These concepts have permeated every aspect of the Mitty Robotics team, TKO, since its inception, and it extends even further. On November 17th, TKO hosted a robotics competition tailored exclusively for middle school students due to its emphasis on a unique tool: Legos. 

Through the first Lego League, Mitty created a stimulating environment where young minds challenged themselves while competing against their peers. Students from various middle school teams labored over the course of three months to build a robot using Lego blocks. Their creations completed various tasks such as building Lego structures and manipulating a Lego crane in order to win awards on competition day. The teams also pitched innovative solutions to address real world problems in transportation and infrastructure. The tournament challenged the competitors, but with Mitty students facilitating the events, they furthermore gained the tenacity needed to overcome their obstacles. 

Throughout the competition, the tournament floor was lined with support from fellow students, parents, and coaches; with this support, the competitors gained valuable insight to bring to future contests. The failures they endured and the triumphs they enjoyed provided them with an expansion of knowledge that can be used to fortify their skills so they can approach robotics with increased confidence. 

The monumental importance of this event is summarized in a single word: opportunity. The tournament created an excellent occasion for students to learn, grow, and prosper. Robotics Outreach Lead Mahder Aklilu reflects that the greatest aspect of this competition was “creating opportunities for any student to engage in robotics.” 

While the students prepared to compete, Mitty’s staff, volunteers, and students worked hard to make the event successful; from organizing the facilities to MCing the matches, Mitty’s Robotics Team played a crucial role in making sure the event ran smoothly. As Outreach mentor Ms. Cathy Leather notes, “Gathering all of the volunteers was huge, as well as organizing the sixteen teams, and getting everybody trained.” As the final pieces fell in place, the volunteers along with the competitors ultimately used their tenacity and knowledge to take full advantage of this opportunity.