LONDONDERRY | The Inventioneers, a nine-member FIRST LEGO League team based in Londonderry, took home the top trophy Saturday at the sixth annual New Hampshire State Championship held at Nashua High School North and sponsored by B.A.E. Systems.
The Inventioneers earned the first place Champion's Award win from a field of 52 of the top teams from around the state and qualify for the international competition to be held in Atlanta, GA in April.
This year, the theme is "Power Puzzle," which challenges the teams to learn all about energy | from conservation, to efficiency, to fuel sources both current and in the future.
Team member, T.J. Evarts, 12, said he enjoyed the design and test phases of developing the team's Thin Film Solar (TFS) Wavy Roof prototype.
"I liked the formulas and calculations," T.J. said. "I also liked visiting Konarka (a company in Lowell, Mass. that makes thin solar panels.)"
While the team was researching future energy alternatives to fossil fuels, they discovered the new technology advancements being made in solar panel design and manufacturing.
Beginning in October, the team began designing what they call the "TFS Wavy Roof," which is an innovative solar roofing panel which takes advantage of the unique features of the new thin film fabrication processes. The team holds a provisional patent on this invention.
This is the second year that the Inventioneers took home the top award for the state.
"We've made some cool inventions over the last four years," T.J. said. "One thing we've learned is that if you have an idea, go for it."
The team won the first place research award this past April at the international championships for last year's invention, a prototype filtration system.
Along with developing the solar panel prototype, the Inventioneers partnered with the Londonderry Fire Department and did a thorough energy audit of the Central Fire Station. They also worked with Public Service of New Hampshire to link the Fire Department into the Small Business Retrofit Program, which includes rebates for upgrading the station's older-style lighting to the top efficiency fixtures available currently.
In conjunction with PSNH, the team has estimated the Fire Department could save several thousand dollars in annual electric costs with the lighting upgrade alone. The team presented a formal audit report to members of the Fire Department and had other recommendations for energy saving measures beyond lighting upgrades.
Team member Jaiden Evarts, 10, said she really loved working with the Fire Department.
"It was a lot of fun," she said. "They were gung-ho about our project. I'd really like to see it help with the fire station's electrical needs."
Another team member, Sarah Heimlich, 13, said that she and her teammates are realizing how they, as kids, can change the world.
"We can invent and dream big," she said.
Other team members are Paige Balcom, 13, Emily Balcom, 11, Kate Balcom, 9, Sammy Vivian, 13, Drew Vivian, 12, and Nick Vivian, 10. The team is coached by Luan Heimlich and Lisa Evarts, and this is their fourth year of competition.
The team also created a curriculum for elementary students which teaches the students about energy conservation and renewable and nonrenewable energy sources. They will make their first presentation at South Londonderry Elementary School on Dec. 17.
"We try to do as much with our projects as we can," Sarah said. "We want to make this a world that we can inherit."
News
Related Photos
-
Handout
Discussion
Welcome to our online comments feature. To join the discussion, you must first register with Disqus and verify your email address. Once you do, your comments will post automatically. We welcome your thoughts and your opinions, including unpopular ones. We ask only that you keep the conversation civil and clean. We reserve the right to remove comments that are obscene, racist or abusive and statements that are false or unverifiable. Repeat offenders will be blocked. You may flag objectionable comments for review by a moderator.
Londonderry LEGO team is state champ
- News
-
-
Pups welcome at Pinkerton's Pet Palace
Pinkerton Academy student Jen Drago looks over Lady after trimming her nails during a dog grooming class for students to practice their animal management skills.
Pinkerton Academy opens its doors to four-legged guests on a regular basis. The "Pet Palace" gives students an opportunity to learn not only animal-handling skills, but also business management.
Continued ... -
Londonderry town deliberative session has lots on agenda
Londonderry residents have some weighty decisions ahead — whether to add four full-time firefighters to the department, a proposed $26.7 million town budget and much more.
Continued ... -
Spectator
Color my world ...
Continued ...
Derry Town Administrator John Anderson was quite pleased with changes made to the new Panera Bread design.
The popular restaurant is coming to Derry and developers changed the color scheme on one part of the building from a darker color to a lighter sienna clay. - Pinkerton community says goodbye to Coach Van
- National Grid takes to air for biannual inspections
- Londonderry still has high hopes for Pettingill
- Regional planners say growth is steady
- PET OF THE WEEK: Hungry for love
- Derry neighborhood split over condo plan
- Halligan Tavern gets greenlight for rooftop dining
- State issues warnings about back-country hiking
- Thursday, January 26, 2012
- Derry councilors mull incubator campus
- Woodmont plan review stalls unexpectedly
- Derry may expand dated recycling facility
- Man runs marathon for Londonderry mom
- SPECTATOR
- PET OF THE WEEK: Sasha is eager to please
- Potter helps Derry Village students create tile mural
- Londonderry voters to decide teachers contract
- Oil, gas prices rise
-
