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Paola Middle School's FIRST Lego League kicked off its program in style, earning one of only 10 trophies given out during a regional competition Dec. 14 in Liberty, Mo.

FIRST stands for "For Inspiration, Recognition, Science and Technology," but for PMS eighth-graders who helped create the team this year, it could be taken literally. Instructor Jim Prothe has lef the new team this year, which is made up of 10 eighth-graders, but he has receoved help from many people, including members of the Paola High School Panther Robotics team.

At the regional competition, PMS's team participated in a variety of competitions, including a presentation of a research project and an actual display of their robot's skills.

The team constructed a robot programmed to compete a variety of tasks, each one with some connection to this year's theme, which was climate connections.

Prothe said the team finished in the middle of the pack in the robot competition but received the gracious professionalism award for working as a team, spreading FIRST values and bringing awareness of the group to the community.

The team was funded through donations from community businesses and organizations, for which Prothe said he is very thankful.

In many ways, the FIRST Lego League is used to prepare students for the Robotics team at the high school. Prothe said he's confident several of his first-year team members will follow that route.

"I could easily see some of these kids doing that," he said.

Next year, Prothe thinks he may open the team up to seventh-graders, as he continues to build on the success of his first year.

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