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GIRARD -- Area fifth- to eighth-graders had the opportunity to showcase their robotics skills as they competed Dec. 4 at the FIRST Lego League regional tournament.
The event, which was held at Girard High School, was one of two local regional qualifying events, with another regional tournament held Dec 10 at Warren G. Harding High School.
Judy Barber, adviser for the FIRST Robotics Robocats Team 379 at Girard High School and tournament director, said more than 40 volunteers, which included high school team members and alumni, assisted at the event that allowed middle school students to showcase their robotics talent.
Teams were from Girard, Hubbard, Austintown, Akron, Macedonia, Cleveland, Toledo, Hudson, Solon and the Akiva Academy. Girard Intermediate School entered two teams, ''Thing 1'' and ''Thing 2.''
Molly Durkin, a fifth-grader marking her first year competing, said her cousin was in Lego Robotics and had fun, so she wanted to give it a try.
''It's fun working together as a team,'' she said.
Lauren Gifford, a sixth-grader, said she likes how the team helps each other and can work together on the challenge.
Mia Malito, a fifth-grader, said the this year's challenge was ''Animal Allies,'' where students created a task with their robots of animals working together.
Thomas Cardiero, a sixth-grader, said the ''Thing 2'' team, which he is a member of, had to pick a project about an animal or species that is endangered or being threatened by the human population and then take a position on how to fix the situation for the animal.
Andy Yantes, adviser for teams from Austintown Middle School sixth- and seventh-grade students, said two teams came to the Girard site and the other two were at the Warren site.
"There are so many teams that they have to split them between the different sites," he said.
Travis Hoffman, an adviser with the Warren FIRST Robotics team, said the FIRST Lego League is for ages 9 to 14 participating before they advance to high school level competition.
"The robotics teams are from throughout northeast Ohio. There are 22 teams. Some of the teams participating on Saturday may have needed a little more time to work on their robots,'' he said.
Those teams that are successful as regional qualifiers will move Jan. 8 for district event at Akron University.
Hoffman said those who are top ranking at district move to state and can advance to the world competition in spring in St. Louis.
The FIRST Robotics high school teams will kick off their new season when they are given their challenge Jan. 7. Competitions are held in March and April.
Barber said this is the eighth year Girard has sponsored a Lego League tournament, which she said is successful with the many volunteers.
For the opening ceremony, teams were introduced during a parade, where the members held banners and signs and wore costumes.