Cognition Creative Learning - FIRST LEGO League Regional Heat Support

Cognition Creative Learning is a Bude-based CIC set up with the aim of bringing extraordinary educational and STEM based learning events to children in Bude and surrounding areas.

We've hosted FIRST LEGO League at The Parkhouse Centre in both 2022 and 2023 and are gearing up for our largest event yet in 2024.

FIRST LEGO League is the largest international STEM competition in the world, and it comprises of 4 judging areas:

1) The exciting Robot Games

2) Innovation project

3) Robot Design and Coding

4) Core Values (such as teamwork, innovation, fun, collaboration and co-opetition)

We'll be hosting 24 teams over 2 days (7th and 8th March 2024) and need as many volunteers as we can get! There are technical roles (timekeeping, robot referee and judge) as well as housekeeping/refreshments etc.

Get in touch if you would like to help us run this incredible event for 240 young people aged 9-16 and their adults/teachers/parents!

FIRST LEGO League Regional Heat Support - the Parkhouse Centre 7th and 8th March 2024

(Variety of roles available; Judge/Referee/Catering/Administration)

Role/ responsibilities:

• Judges: you will be required to sit on a judging panel of 3 judges and watch 4 teams of 10 x 9-16 year olds present their innovation model/project ideas for their FIRST LEGO League project. This year's theme is creativity and how technology can be used to support the Arts. (See the season trailer here). It promises to be a fantastic opportunity to engage with young people, see their creativity and passion come alive and to provide them with a real-world interview/panel experience. You’ll be provided with a scoring rubric, as well as a judging set of questions to support you in this task. We’ll also run a quick training session prior to the event. The judging is a really lovely role, it’s packed with work in the morning, with a break at lunch for deliberation. You’ll then be able to spend time in the team ‘Pits’ and in the Robot Game room.
• Referees: These are people who watch the Robot Game tables carefully and score each team’s attempts accordingly. It’s a fast paced role in the most lively area of the competition! It’s a lot of fun, and you get to see the highs and lows of the day up close. See what teams are expected to do in the robot challenges here. You’ll be provided with mark sheets to tick off the scores and be responsible for handing scores to the scorekeepers after each game.
• Catering: using the catering hatch in the kitchen we’ll be relying on you to keep adults and children hydrated through squash, water and teas and coffees! We offer light snacks throughout the day; you’ll need to keep an eye out for any allergy flags on packaging and ensure that this is signposted.
• Administration: Can you help everything run smoothly on the day? With 12 teams and 120 children to usher around the building each day you’ll be responsible for ensuring teams are ready for their judging sessions and robot games. You’ll be a clip-board handling, watch checking warrior!

Skills/ experience required:

• Judges: any experience in either the Arts, or a STEM career is desirable. Stage management/production/am dram/music/choreography/community arts etc also would be lovely to have. You must be kind and supportive; we’re looking for positive scoring rather than looking to mark children down! You might be needed to draw shy children out of themselves, so someone who can be kind is very important.
• Referees: ability to work well under pressure, precision and quick thinking.
• Catering: friendly, personable and helpful people required. A firm hand might be needed to stop biscuit raiders!
• Administration: Kind, helpful individuals who are happy to signpost and assist teachers and students throughout the day.

Hours/ Days:

• 7th March (8:30 - 4pm)
• and/or 8th March (8:30 - 4pm)

Any other information:

• You will be required to complete some short safeguarding training and provide a volunteer DBS check (we can organise this if need be).

CONTACT:

Briony Cole

briony@cognitionlearning.co.uk

07983171178

www.cognitionlearning.co.uk