Inventioneers reign State Champion LEGO League Team wins research award at world festival

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April 25, 2008

LONDONDERRY — The Inventioneers, the reigning New Hampshire state champion FIRST LEGO League team, earned a Research Innovation Award at the World Festival in Atlanta last week.

This group of nine students ages 10 to 14 impressed the judges with their patent pending solar power roofing design and their community education program. The two-day competition included 81 teams from 24 countries.

Meeting teams from other countries was one of the highlights of the week for the Inventioneers and they are planning to keep in touch with the team representing Egypt with whom they exchanged e-mail addresses.

The Inventioneers are based in Londonderry. Members of the winning team are Jaiden Evarts, Tristan Evarts, Paige Balcom, Kate Balcom, Emily Balcom, Sarah Heimlich, Sammy Vivian, Andrew Vivian and Nick Vivian.

Additionally, the team's coaches, Lisa Evarts and Luan Heimlich were both awarded the World Festival Coach/Adult Mentor of the Year Award. They were nominated not only by the team, but also by Festival judges.

"We were totally taken by surprise," Heimlich said. "The kids did this completely without our knowledge."

"(The FIRST LEGO League) is definitely all about the kids, not about the coaches," Evarts said. "These kids are a pleasure to coach and we're inspired and amazed by them every day."

On their way to Atlanta, the Inventioneers were invited to stop in Washington, D.C. to speak with U.S. Representative Paul Hodes and U.S. Senator John Sununu.

After hearing about the team's solar roofing design, Rep. Hodes promised to help the team obtain a utility patent, which would protect their idea for 17 years. He also agreed to work with the team on ideas they proposed that would motivate the entire state to save energy, starting with kids.

The Inventioneers are anxious to return home and begin their energy conservation projects.

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Their first goal is to complete an energy audit of the Londonderry Senior Center in their role as members of Londonderry's Energy Efficiency Task Force.