The Mechanical Dolphins Robotics Club offered at Dailard is run and supported by volunteers from current and past Dailard Parents and is not affiliated with Dailard Elementary. The Robotics Club is open to 4th and 5th graders, and the Club participates in Southern California’s FIRST LEGO League: Challenge. During each season, meetings are twice a week and 3 or more meetings/ week closer to tournament(s). Teams are sponsored by QUALCOMM and local businesses.

What is FIRST LEGO League?

• FIRST LEGO League introduces science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) to children through fun, exciting hands-on learning. FIRST LEGO League participants gain real-world problem-solving experiences through a guided, global robotics program, helping today’s students and teachers build a better future together. In FIRST LEGO League, students engage in hands-on STEM experiences, building confidence, growing their knowledge and developing habits of learning. FIRST LEGO League inspire youth to experiment and grow their critical thinking, coding and design skills through hands-on STEM learning and robotics.
• FIRST LEGO League encourages Gracious Professionalism shown through activities based on the FIRST CORE VALUES: Discovery, Innovation, Impact, Inclusion, Teamwork, and Fun. This is the foundational behavior in which the FIRST LEGO League strives to exemplify.
• In our division, FIRST LEGO League: Challenge, teams of students in 4th and 5th grade engage in research, problem-solving, coding and engineering – building and programming a LEGO robot that navigates the missions of a robot game autonomously. As part of Challenge, teams also participate in a research project to identify and solve a relevant real-world problem.

“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”

– African Proverb

How Can I Help?

Coaches are parents volunteering their own time and resources! Support from other parents is vital to help the program flourish and be successful. Help the program by doing any of the following:

• Support the parent coaches by organizing field trips, printing documents, or providing resources
• Volunteer as snack manager and/or sign-up to bring snacks
• Sign up for help on the day of tournaments with lunch, snacks, drinks, or our canopy
• Help the Mechanical Dolphins with coding skills, research for their global-project, and homework
• Sponsor a team (for local businesses)
• Purchase ice cream or popsicles Fridays after school at the Mechanical Dolphins sales booth

“None of us is as smart as all of us.”

–Ken Blanchard

The best teammate is the one that shows up, listens, participates, and gives others a chance to also. Go Mechanical Dolphins!

– Coach Kim Lanzagorta