Three La Porte ISD elementary robotics teams brought recognition to their schools and the district at the first All-Earth Ecobot Challenge held at the George R. Brown Convention Center on April 25.

  Over 50 teams from Harris County and surrounding areas participated in the competition.  Students in grades five,six, seven and eight were charged with transforming robots into instruments of change as they built their LEGO creations to "Recycle, Reuse and Reduce Waste."

  Two teams from College Park Elementary School advanced to the finals of the robotics competition, with Team 1 earning 10^th place and Team 2 winning 16^th. Team 1 included Alanis Bing, Yessy Hinojosa, Kevin Clark and Hanna Guerrero, and Team 2 included Braulio Garza, Tommy Freeman, Jacob Edwards and Julienne Agarrado.

  Sponsors of the College Park Robotics Club are principal Deborah Shearer and enrichment specialist Linda Hyde.

  "We are very proud of our students in the Robotics Club and their teamwork for success in the EcoBot Challenge," Shearer said.  "Our students proudly represented College Park and the La Porte School District. We look forward to next year and working for first place."

  Other members of the College Park Robotics Club who attended the event were Luis Atilano, Anthony Atilano, Kylee Duree, Desmond Pelt and Maddie Riggenbach.

  The Leo Rizzuto Elementary School Rizz Kids advanced to the finals of the marketing competition, placing 12^th. Members of the team included Alexis Webb, Bennie Flores, Ashton Cole and Rhett Cook.  The sponsor of the Rizz Kids is fifth-grade teacher Pat McBride.

  "The Lego robotics program is an excellent learning experience for the kids," McBride said.  "They learn the basics of programming and then have to problem-solve to complete a challenge.  The team has to cooperate and share responsibilities to be successful.  At every step of the process, the kids are in control - the coach just acts as a compass."

  The event was hosted by the Education Foundation of Harris County in partnership with the City of Houston Convention Entertainment Facilities Department, Houston Galveston Area Council and Harris County Department of Education.  Other corporate sponsors included Cole Chemicals, Rehak Creative Services, Continental Airlines and Minh Tran, P.C.

  In addition to participating in rounds of competition throughout the day, team members enjoyed a robotics demonstration by Naoki Maru and his sons, who are from Japan.  The Maru family has won numerous championships in the ROBO-ONE humanoid robot competitions.