4-20-2025 9:08pm

Anti-Drowning Project, LEGO Robotics, Core Values

MASON, OH --Team INNOV8 participated in a World Festival event in Houston, Texas, April 16 – 19, 2025, representing the State of Ohio, in the FIRST LEGO League (FLL) Project and LEGO Robotic competitions. This 5-man team, plus a youth mentor, are from the Mason Middle School (3 students), Mason Intermediate School (2 students), and Mason High School (1 student). Every year on average, over 679,000 students, making up 38,000 teams, coming from 110 countries, participate in the FLL Challenge.

FIRST is an acronym standing “For Inspiration and Recognition in Science and Technology.” FIRST is the World’s Leading Youth-Serving Nonprofit Advancing STEM Education. The STEM acronym describes a particular approach to education focused on four interconnected fields of learning: Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. STEM emphasizes an integrated approach to learning, connecting these fields to create a cohesive and problem-solving environment.

FIRST LEGO League in Mason has been active for 3 years with students developing technical and soft skills, like communication, public speaking, teamwork, emotional intelligence, problem solving, and other traits that contribute to positive relationships and collaboration for real world participation.

The FLL program caters to multiple age groups. There are three categories: Explore (for ages 4-6), Discover (for ages 6-10), and Challenge (for ages 9-16).

There are three main sections in the FLL Challenge: Project, LEGGO Robotics, and Core Values.

For this season’s Challenge, FLL chose “SUBMERGED” as the Project theme, relating to ocean (water) problems that humans face or cause. The INNOV8 team narrowed twenty “SUBMERGED” problems down to five, with team members voting overwhelmingly to find a solution for unintentional deaths (accidents) by drowning.

The INNOV8 team members consulted individuals familiar with water-related deaths; they brainstormed for solutions to drowning problems. Following the FLL concepts, the INNOV8 team technically designed and participated in the non-technical tasks to facilitate the smooth functioning of an Anti-Drowning Swimsuit (ADS), a solution to accidental drowning of certain age groups in certain scenarios. The ADS was designed for kids 7 – 15 years of age but can be used by swimmers with any level of swimming skills. The ADS can be used in most bodies of water.

The features of ADS

The swimsuit can be inflated within seconds, the fabric chosen is a closed cell neoprene material, and the pattern is glued instead of sewn, eliminating any holes. To keep the ADS wearer afloat is a 16g CO2 cartridge to inflate the upper body suit.

The construction of the ADS

The swimsuit is portable, washable, comfortable, affordable and compact.

The safety of ADS

Quick inflation to keep the body afloat, a glow-in-the dark visual alert, and a shrill whistle to send an audible alert.

Further, this season of the FLL Robot Section is split between robot design and robot game. INNOV8 designed their robot using LEGO Education Spike kit and application to compete. The robotic tournaments are played in three rounds, lasting 2:30 minutes each. Throughout the year, team members continue improving their robot using the engineering design process. LEGO robotics have become a staple in educational settings, providing students with a hands-on approach to learning STEM concepts.

The INNOV8 team competed, and they have consecutively progressed through Regionals, District and State, propelling them to The World Festival event in Houston, Texas.

If you are interested in the FLL program or have questions, e-mail innov8fll@gmail.com.

Drowning, Unintentional Deaths - Accidents

INNOV8’s research found that the 2021 World Health Organization recorded 300,000 deaths of children due to drowning. This research triggered the team’s passion to question and identify important steps to prevent drowning.

Bathtubs, pools, buckets, bath seats, wells, cisterns, septic tanks, decorative ponds, and toilets are all potential drowning sources for infants and toddlers.

Drowning is the leading cause of death for children ages 1 – 4.
Drowning is the third leading cause of death for children aged 1 to 14.
Drowning also ranks as the second leading cause of unintentional deaths for children aged 0 – 17.
Nationwide, 4,000 people died from drowning. This is an average of 10.96 drowning deaths per day. California and Florida had the most incidents of water-related deaths.

Research supports the idea that not knowing how to swim is the common cause of drowning. Many adults and children will get into water without proper swimming training. Formal water safety and swimming lessons under the supervision of a lifeguard can dramatically DECREASE the risk of drowning. Regardless of where a person drowns, this experience is traumatic.