The new Lego robotics team at Holy Cross School in South Portland will take part in its first Maine First Lego League qualifying tournament, on Saturday, Nov. 21.

The tourney marks the culmination of months of hard work by students, parents and administrators to turn the dream of having a robotics club at the school into a reality.

Principal Christine L’Abbe? set the wheels in motion last spring when she told the parish’s pastoral council that a group of students had an interest in robotics and learning more about it.

John Moreshead, a member of the pastoral council, volunteered to contact the robotics coaches at Cheverus and South Portland High School to find out more.

But then he was “flooded with information,” which prompted him to consider stepping in and helping a robotics club get started at Holy Cross.

Teachers and parents were quick to offer their assistance, including Jim Blaich, a math teacher, and parents, Dineshree Moodley and Mel Vigue, who all pitched in to create the Holy Cross Crusaders Robotics Club.

“Our initial turnout was 16 students, and they kept coming back every week,” Moreshead said.

The club, which consists of sixth-graders, registered with the First Lego League, which has a mission of introducing young people to “the fun and excitement of science and technology,” according to the league’s website.

As members of the league, students build robots using Lego Mindstorms kits, which consist of a computer, motors and sensors and everyday Lego blocks. Each club then writes the programs that control the robots using Lego Mindstorms software.

The theme for the upcoming robotics tourney, which will be held in Kennebunk, is “Trash Trek.”

An example of how the challenge works, according to Moreshead, is that a model of a building must be demolished, but “there is valuable material in the building that can be recycled. The robot is programmed to leave the base area, collect the valuable material from the building, bring the material back to base and then destroy the building.”

He added, “There are 12 of these missions, so the idea is to have the robot accomplish as many missions as possible in the time allotted.”

The robot challenge is just one element of the tournament, though. The club must also make a presentation to the judges and will also have to answer questions from the judges throughout.

This weekend’s highest-scoring teams will advance to the state championship tournament.

“Regardless of Saturday’s outcome, Holy Cross’ new club, and the friendships it has nurtured, have the students already feeling like winners,” Moreshead said.

The new robotics team at Holy Cross School in South Portland is looking forward to its first tournament. Pictured, from left, are Alexi King, Wilfred Nji, Gareth Moodley, Misha King, Jackson Holbrook, Andrew Hitchcock, Ryan Vigue, Luc Lussier, Bettina Bolese, Anna Vozzelli, Nikita King and Dominic Borrelli.

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