Robotics at Heritage Village

            The Greater Grand Forks Robotics Club is a partnership of the Dakota Science Center, the Heritage Foundation and the Grand Forks Public Library. As non-profit organizations we provide the teams with meeting space. We also need to find funding for the teams from community businesses. A tax-deductible contribution of any size would be greatly appreciated. Financial contributions can be sent to the Heritage Village (PO Box 281, East Grand Forks, MN 56721). To show our appreciation we post our sponsors on our website.

The Dakota Science Center became a FIRST^® LEGO^® League (FLL^®) team sponsor in 2003. The Grand Forks Public Library became a team sponsor in 2011. The Dakota Science Center, the Grand Forks Public Library and the Heritage Village (East Grand Forks, Minnesota) have partnered to support the Greater Grand Forks Robotics Club. Teams cannot be registered without parent volunteers. The Greater Grand Forks Robotics Club has 3 program components, FIRST® LEGO® League Explore (ages 6-10 / grades 2-4), FIRST® LEGO® League Challenge (ages 9-16 / grades 4-8), and the off-season club.

FLL^® Explore teams meet to design a robot with LEGO® elements. Teams also document their work in an Engineering Notebook and share their journey through a team Show Me Poster.

            The FLL^® Challenge teams meet August-January. The University of North Dakota, College of Engineering and Mines hosts the FLL^® Qualifying Tournament and the North Dakota Championship Tournament. Teams are judged on 4 things. 1) Core Values - have they learned that friendly competition and mutual gain are not separate goals, and that helping each other is the foundation of teamwork? 2) a project - teams research a real-world problem and present an innovative solution to that problem. 3) robot design – teams answer questions regarding their approach to the design. 4) field challenge - robots are designed and programmed by team members to perform a series of missions during 2½ minute matches.

            The off-season robotics club program provides engineering and technology experience to youth that were not able to be on the team, and those honing their skills for next year. The club also provides leadership opportunities to team members who help teach the computer programming to younger children. A qualified professional or university student is hired to lead the off-season robotics club, which meets at the Grand Forks Public Library.

I/we would like  to make a financial contribution in support of a FLL Challenge team:

$150 (field challenge kit) $200 (team registration) $400 (EV3 robot) Other:  ________

 I/we would like to make a financial contribution in support of the FLL Explore team:

$200 (team registration)    $200 (base kit)   $400 (EV3 robot)   Other: _________  

I/we would like to make a financial contribution in support of the off-season club:

$500 (teacher)        $350  (supplies)              Other:  ________

Organization/Business:  _________________________________________________ 

Address: ______________________________________________________    

        _______________________________________________________

Contact Name & Title: 

      _____________________________________________________

         Phone:    __________________________  

         Email:     ______________________________________________

Mail Check to Heritage Village, PO Box 281, EGF, MN 56721

To help with the robotics program as an adult or participate as a youth e-mail Dakota.Science@gmail.com.