Qwest Montana

FIRST LEGO LEAGUE TOURNAMENT CREATES BUILDING BLOCKS FOR TEAMWORK WITH QWEST FOUNDATION SPONSORSHIP

BOZEMAN, MONT., Jan. 11, 2008 – The Qwest Foundation today announced its support of the 2008 FIRST Lego League (FLL) Championship Tournament, to be held Jan. 11-12 at Montana State University in Bozeman. The Qwest Foundation’s $14,500 grant will sponsor the annual robotics challenge, where kids ages 9 to 14 compete and build autonomous robots using engineering concepts.

“The FIRST Lego League tournament not only encourages kids to construct a strong team-building atmosphere, it also structures critical-thinking and an interest in science and technology,” said David Gibson, Qwest president of Montana. "The tournament helps kids assemble real-life engineering skills, and build confidence at the same time, and Qwest is proud to be a sponsor.”

FIRST LEGO League is an exciting and fun international robotics program that ignites an enthusiasm for discovery, science and technology in young kids. Each year FLL teams embark on an adventurous Challenge based on current, real-world issues. Guided by a team coach and assisted by mentors, the kids:

• Research and solve a real-world problem based on the Challenge theme;
• present their research and solutions; and
• build an autonomous robot using engineering concepts.

The tournament’s 2008 theme is energy management and conservation, and participants will craft their robots to find sustainable options to meet the planet’s growing energy needs in environmentally sound ways.

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