2020-21 North New Jersey FLL Championship Results
Congratulations to all teams participating in this season’s FLL Challenge! (LRC member teams are shown in bold.) Award Team Number Team Name Organization Location Champion’s Award 32581 Flame Machines Family/Community Livingston Core Values 1st Place 9643 Lego Lords ICS Immaculate Conception School Annandale Core Values 2nd Place 16131 Robo Technicians Family/Community Ringoes Innovation Project 1st […]


11th Annual LRC FLL Jr Expo: A Virtual Celebration
This time last year, the 10th anniversary of the LRC FIRST LEGO League Junior Expo attracted 50 teams from northern Jersey (https://www.facebook.com/LivingstonRobotics/posts/1077684072427338). That sure was a tough record to beat! Earlier this year, we started to plan for this year’s Expo with the same fun fair. The highlight would be a “Building Newark” activity to […]


Our face shield making is in full steam!
Check out our projects related to COVID-19 at our COVID-19 Projects page. You can watch a live stream there. As of April 11, more than 300 face shields have been delivered to the frontline. More to be delivered daily.


LRC FLL Teams Competing to get “Into Orbit”
The Northern New Jersey FLL Championship concluded the super exciting and fun December weekend with team Exit 5A Robotics, an LRC member, taking home the crown jewel of the 2-day event: 1st Place Champion’s Award! They will be representing the region at the FIRST World Festival next year. Congratulations!!! Two other LRC teams that advanced to […]


Recapping Exit 5A Robotics’ FLL AMA FIRST Lego League – Ask Me Anything
Exit 5A Robotics held their FIRST (punny!) AMA (Ask Me Anything) session for FLL FIRST Lego League on Oct 14th. Held a concurrent online streaming session for people to ask questions as well as parents & kids attending in person. We had 63 interested respondents on Facebook with 8 Facebook’ers attending in person and 34 […]


Fri Jul 21 6-7pm Open House Info Session for VEX IQ and FLL Challenge (grades 4-8)
April 30, 2022 Maker Madness in Maplewood
Posting for a neighborhood STEM event in nearby Maplewood, NJ….
Maker Madness is Back!
Everyone is invited to join on Saturday, April 30th between 10 AM-2PM for Achieve’s popular family-friendly STEAM fair, with FREE hands-on activities for kids of all ages.
Join them for a fun day that will include:
*outdoor STEM demonstrations and activities on Ritzer Field and the Springfield Avenue Gazebo (including Robotics, MaplewoodShop, Meet the Bees, Bubble-making and more!).
*Take+Make kits to be picked up at various SOMa locations and completed at home. Stop by A Paper Hat and BCB Bank in Maplewood Village, Finlay+Gage on Springfield Ave., or Cold Stone and Sparkhouse Toys in South Orange to get your take-home maker kits.
Note: Rain Date is Sunday, May 1st. #WhatWillYouMake?
More information at:
https://achievefoundation.org/maker-madness/
Registration Open for May 14, Cargo Connect FLL Liberty Science Center Invitational Competition!
Early registration is open for an IN-PERSON FLL CARGO CONNECT competition to be held at the Liberty Science Center (Jersey City, NJ) on Saturday May 14th, 2022. We will have spots for 36 teams for a full day event starting at 8am ET and ending 5pm ET with opening ceremonies, in-person judging, 3 robot runs paired with another team, awards presentations, and closing ceremonies.
EARLY REGISTRATION FORM: https://forms.gle/AZ3ND7pBYnhkkumEA
This Community Event will be open to all registered 2021/2022 FLL Cargo Connect teams in the United States. This event is for FLL CHALLENGE teams (grades 4-8), not FLL Explore teams.
The event will adhere to all local, state, and CDC COVID19 safety protocols as of May 14, 2022.
Questions can be directed to: info@americanroboticsopen.org
Find us on Facebook @AmericanInvitationalRobotics
https://www.facebook.com/AmericanInvitationalRobotics/
https://americanroboticsopen.org/
==== COST =====
• $300 Event Registration Fee includes admission to LSC (Liberty Science Center) exhibits for 4 student team members and 2 coaches. A maximum of 6 additional student team members are allowed at a cost of $17/student and also includes admission to LSC exhibits. This may not include special exhibits that LSC rotates through on a seasonal basis.
• On-site parking is $10/vehicle. Lower cost parking is available 1 block north at the Liberty State Park – Park & Ride Lot.
• Friends & family wishing to watch the event will need admission to LSC. Admission rates are listed at www.lsc.org.
==== KEY DATES ====
• March 8, 2022 – Early Registration Opens
• April 1, 2022 – $300 deposit required. Deposit is refundable if another team can be found to take your place.
• May 1, 2022 – full balance due
• May 7, 2022 – Registration closes
==== INFO SESSIONS ====
• Every Sunday 9:00pm – 9:30pm ET from March 13 – May 8, 2022
Liberty Science Center FLL Cargo Connect – Info Session
https://meet.google.com/yyf-efws-fgg
==== OTHER INFO ====
1) We are expecting total team registration cost to $500 range. We expect to finalize this by March 15, 2022
2) The operating entity for this event is “American Robotics Open Championship Corp.” NJ 501(c)(3) non-profit.
3) 18 spots will be held for regional Champions Award Teams, other high performing teams as nominated by FLL Regional Partners, and other local partner teams. The remaining 18 spots will be given out on a first come first serve basis.
4) This is a FIRST “Community Event” and we are keeping FIRST updated on our progress. This is not a Championship Event, nor a Open Event and is not receiving official support from FIRST at this time. Again, FIRST is aware of our efforts and is only providing guidance for us to maintain event status as a FIRST Community Event.
5) Given that CDC guidelines, NJ COVID19 regulations, could change at any point there is always the risk that the event may need to be canceled at some date.
6) Because of #5 above, we STRONGLY recommend that all teams make FULLY REFUNDABLE travel arrangements.
2022 and Beyond!
As we close out this first month of 2022, it’s hard to believe that we’re starting our 3rd calendar year of COVID uncertainty, or 4th if you count the end of 2019. Ultimately, these times have proven that people find a way to prevail. From our vantage point, the volunteer robotics community is an amped up group that reflects exactly this spirit of perseverance. At times, the challenges seem bleak, overwhelming, and unforgiving. Our great hope is that through this all, the young minds involved in competitive robotics during this time will be even more inspired to discover, invent, and create solutions make this world a better place than it has been these past three years. In that spirit, we wanted to highlight the success stories of the LRC teams and individuals during this time.
- LRC: 2021-2022 Fourteen rookie FLL teams formed!
- CARWAVE, Creative Girlz, CyberKittens, Inferno, Team Blue, Team Electron, Robo Effect, Freight Falcons, Programmed Chaos, RoboCrafters, Team Plasma, Undefined, Team Protech
- LRC: 2021-2022 over 28 new FLL coaches minted
- LRC: Nov 2021 – Hosted an FLL Mini Qualifier with some of the excitement of an in-person FLL event but in a COVID-safe manner
- Exit 65A Robotics: 2021-2022 Lemelson-MIT InvenTeams
- Exit 5A Robotics: 2022 VEX AI Championship – Judges Award (4th place robot game)
- Exit 6 Robotics: 2021 Virtual Invitational Open – Innovative Robot Design Award
- Flame Machines: 2021 Global Innovation Award Semi-Finalist
- Flame Machines: 2021 FLL World Festival Invite (canceled COVID)
- Flame Machines: 2020/2021 North NJ FLL Championship – Champions Award
- Exit 6 Robotics: 2020/2021 North NJ FLL Championship – Engineering Excellence Award
- Exit 5A Robotics: 2020/2021 VEX AI Pilot Program (50 teams nationwide)
- LRC: 2020 – The LRC community of teams contributed (3d printed) 4,010 Face Shields and 6,379 Ear Savers for 16 local hospitals during the peak PPE shortage with special recognition to Spongebots for leading the effort.
- Spongebots: 2020& 2021 – RoboCup Jr. Soccer US Nationals Invite (canceled COVID). 2020 and 2021 were likely US championship winning seasons for Spongebots with their advanced RCJ soccer robots (far improved from their already high 3rd place finish in 2019)
- Exit 6 Robotics: 2020 FLL World Festival Invite (canceled COVID)
- Individual Awards:
- Magdalene Siao: 2021 NCWIT Aspirations in Computing – National Certificate of Distinction
- Bill Lam: 2021 Lemelson-MIT Excite Award
- Annica Lam: 2021 NCWIT Aspirations in Computing – NJ Regional Affiliate Rising Star Award
- Rachelle Hu: 2021 NCWIT Aspirations in Computing – NJ Regional Affiliate Award
- Annica Lam: 2020 NCWIT Aspirations in Computing – NJ Regional Affiliate Honorable Mention
And once again, we wanted to state how especially inspiring it was to see the dozens of parents stepping it up in fall of 2021 to coach & lead fourteen rookie FLL teams with about 100 students!!
Exit 6 Robotics – Innovative Robot Design Award at the FLL Challenge Virtual Open Invitational
After an unusually long FIRST Lego League (FLL) Challenge season spanning 12 months, the Exit 6 Robotics (#2228) team concluded their competition season at the June 12-19, 2021 Virtual Open Invitational (VOI), sponsored by Amazon. In awarding the team the Innovative Robot Design Award, judges cited their novel omniwheel drivetrain that enabled forward and sideways motion. As best they could find, omniwheels had never been previously been implemented in FLL competitions. The team quickly learned why this was the case when they encountered dozens of problems with omniwheel drives.
With FIRST canceling all Open and World Festival events, VOI remained as the only competition venue for top teams from around the world. Ultimately, the best performing teams from 25 countries and 35 states were given invitations to participate. On the basis of their recent North NJ results (Champions Award 2019/2020, Engineering Excellence Award 2020/2021) Exit 6 Robotics was selected as one of three North New Jersey teams offered a spot at VOI.
For the 2021/2022 season, the team has not yet decided whether to compete in FTC, VRC, RCJ, or WRO. The team is also looking for new team members 9th, 10th, or 11th graders to join for the upcoming season. No prior robotics experience required. Candidates can be from any towns nearby Livingston. The only other requirements are a healthy tolerance for failure, a healthy appetite for learning, and a healthy heaping of enthusiasm. Please contact exit6robotics AT gmail.com.
2020-21 North New Jersey FLL Championship Results

Congratulations to all teams participating in this season’s FLL Challenge!
(LRC member teams are shown in bold.)
Award | Team Number | Team Name | Organization | Location |
Champion’s Award | 32581 | Flame Machines | Family/Community | Livingston |
Core Values 1st Place | 9643 | Lego Lords ICS | Immaculate Conception School | Annandale |
Core Values 2nd Place | 16131 | Robo Technicians | Family/Community | Ringoes |
Innovation Project 1st Place | 26362 | Montgomery Thundercats | Montgomery Upper Middle School | Skillman |
Innovation Project 2nd Place | 51374 | BotSmith | Family/Community | Skillman |
Robot Design 1st Place | 38213 | Orion | Family/Community | Robbinsville |
Robot Design 2nd Place | 50904 | Lego Dragons | Family/Community | Edison |
Engineering Excellence Award | 2228 | Exit 6 Robotics | Family/Community | Livingston |
Motivate Award | 34957 | Robo Rockets | Family/Community | Montville |
Judges’ Award | 40458 | BOT SQUAD | Family/Community | Closter |
Breakthrough Award | 50987 | RoboRockets | Family/Community | Lebanon |
Rising All-Star Award | 51767 | Area14 Robotics | Family/Community | Bridgewater |
Robot Performance 1st Place (520) | 25231 | Robo Raptors | Family/Community | Fair Lawn |
Robot Performance 2nd Place (485) | 38279 | TechTitans | Applegarth Elementary School | Monroe |
Coach/Mentor Award | Sumit Singh (50904 – Lego Dragons) |
Besides the traditional awards (Champion’s, Core Values, Innovation Project, Robot Design, Robot Performance, Judges’, and Coach/Mentor), FIRST introduced several standard awards this season:
- Engineering Excellence Award: This award celebrates a team with an efficiently designed robot, an innovative project solution that effectively addresses the season challenge and great Core Values evident in all they do.
- Motivate Award: This award celebrates a team that embraces the culture of FIRST LEGO League through team building, team spirit and displayed enthusiasm.
- Breakthrough Award: This award celebrates a team that made significant progress in their confidence and capability in both the Robot Game and Innovation Project and are a shining example of excellent Core Values. They demonstrate that they understand that what they discover is more important than what they win.
- Rising All-Star Award: This award celebrates a team that the judges notice and expect great things from in the future.
2020 North New Jersey FLL Qualifier Results
(Advancing teams, LRC member)
Award | Bergen Brickfest | Boro-Blast | Clifton (MSE) | Mt. Olive | Warren Hills |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Champion’s | 45689 – Rocketeers | 38279 – TechTitans | 25231 – Robo Raptors | 32581- Flame Machines |
51374 – Team BotSmith |
Core Values: 1st Place | 30745 – MindsOfSteel | 37556 – Robo Kings | 50943 – STEAMRollers | 26362 – Montgomery Thundercats | 38684 – Team Technopath |
Core Values: 2nd Place | 40458 – BOT SQUAD | 26491 – Edgar Team B | 37531 – Coding Cougars | ||
Core Values: 3rd Place | 45355 – Junior Ironmen Iota | ||||
Project: 1st Place | 18637 – RoboRocks | 2228 – Exit 6 Robotics | 34957 – Robo Rockets | 26361 – Roboclaws | 38213 – Orion |
Project: 2nd Place | 50926 – Shock Wave | 16131 – Robo Technicians | 37890 – Atomic | ||
Project: 3rd Place | 51136 – Lego Lordz | ||||
Robot Design: 1st Place | 31328 – Junior Ironmen Delta | 44211 – DotBots | 48935 – Kreative CRACKERS | 50711 – Menlo Sparks | 23592 – The ModKnight Dragons |
Robot Design: 2nd Place | 24628 – Junior Ironmen Alpha | 9643 – Lego Lords ICS | 50987 – RoboRockets | ||
Robot Design: 3rd Place | 50833 – Revolutionary Robotixx | ||||
Breakthrough | 51389 – Supernova | 50904 – Lego Dragons | 39130 – The B Team | ||
Motivate | 37497 – Robo Crusaders | 45493 – Fire Ants | |||
Engineering Excellence | 44861 – Team Bolt | 51767 – Area14 Robotics | |||
Rising Star | 50554 – Super5 | 51390 – The Spikers | 42091 – Team Alpha | ||
Robot Performance: 1st Place | 45689 – Rocketeers | 16131 – Robo Technicians | 25231 – Robot Raptors | 32581 – Flame Machines | 38213 – Orion |
Robot Performance: 2nd Place | 40458 – BOT SQUAD | 38279 – TechTitans | 48935 – Kreative CRACKERS | ||
Robot Performance: 3rd Place | 18637 – RoboRocks | ||||
(Advancing) | 45051 – Robogirls |
VEX World Championships – Request for Online Volunteer Judges
If you have some experience with robotics, here’s a great opportunity to volunteer and help with remote judging at the VEX World Championships (VRC & VIQ) this year. Details from the VRC website:
Judges are critical to the scholastic sport of competitive robotics, and we realize the commitment it takes to volunteer as a judge. This year, it will take more dedicated volunteers than ever to make our judging program a success as we have expanded the number of divisions and programs for students.
Please consider volunteering as a remote judge in April and/or May (see below dates) for the Remote VEX Robotics World Championship.
Judging will be conducted online in 3-hour shifts. Judges may volunteer for as many shifts as they are able on the following dates:
- Saturday & Sunday April 10-11, 11:00 am – 8:00 pm ET
- Saturday & Sunday April 17-18, 8:00 am – 8:00 pm ET
- Saturday & Sunday April 24-25, 8:00 am – 8:00 pm ET
- Saturday & Sunday May 1-2, 8:00 am – 8:00 pm ET
We cannot serve our VEX Worlds community of participants without your support. We hope you will join us as a remote judge this year and encourage others within your program to do so as well. Help us spread the word to others with this printable invite, or simply hit the Forward to a Friend button below.
http://us17.forward-to-friend.com/forward?u=55f6961f31a43a56f1b0c1879&id=384eed17ff&e=0e84a38728
If you have any questions, please email volunteer@roboticseducation.org. We look forward to seeing you (remotely) at VEX Worlds 2021!
11th Annual LRC FLL Jr Expo: A Virtual Celebration

Our face shield making is in full steam!

Check out our projects related to COVID-19 at our COVID-19 Projects page. You can watch a live stream there. As of April 11, more than 300 face shields have been delivered to the frontline. More to be delivered daily.