Foundations of Engineering: My FLL Journey (Grades 4-8)

My passion for robotics began at age eight when my family and I founded our own First Lego League team. Over five competitive seasons, I transitioned from a curious builder to a disciplined engineer, culminating in a qualification for the State Championships in my final season.

Technical Evolution I moved quickly beyond the standard LEGO starter kits. Realizing that physical rebuilding was inefficient, I taught myself 3D modeling software to prototype custom robots digitally. This shift to digital design saved our team weeks of build time, allowing us to test mechanics virtually before committing to physical assembly.

Leadership & Mentorship For me, the hardest and most rewarding challenge was mastering the Core Value of "Inclusion." With a rotating roster of teammates, I stepped up as a technical mentor, teaching coding logic and construction fundamentals to new members. This ensured that regardless of experience level, every member could contribute to the robot's success.

The Result These five years taught me that engineering is an iterative process. The patience to redesign, the ability to lead a team, and the technical skills I developed in FLL became the bedrock for my current work in the First Tech Challenge (FTC).