Thirty-six teams, representing students from all over Michigan will compete in a regional qualifying event for FIRST LEGO League (FLL) teams, also referred to locally as The Robocat Rumble.

The Robocat Rumble will be held Nov. 12 in the Oxford High School gymnasium. Practice rounds will begin at 8 a.m. Opening ceremonies begin at noon, followed by official rounds at 12:30 p.m. Closing ceremonies are scheduled to be held from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.

The event is free of charge for spectators, who are invited to join in during this celebration of science and technology. Around 360 students, along with coaches and parents, are expected to attend this competition.

In honor of this year’s “Animal Allies” theme, those in attendance are also asked to bring pet supplies (canned cat/dog food, treats, toys, cat litter, beds, carriers, etc.) to be donated to the K-9 Rescue League in Oxford and to the Silver Lake Animal Rescue League in Sylvan Lake. Donations can be dropped off at the registration desk.

Fourth and fifth graders will compete in this robotics competition using the LEGO MINDSTORMS system to design, build and program LEGO robots to accomplish a series of animal-focused tasks.

FLL is a program created by the FIRST organization. It introduces younger students to real-world engineering challenges by building LEGO-based robots to complete tasks on a thematic playing surface. FLL teams, guided by their imaginations and adult coaches, discover exciting career possibilities and, through the process, learn to make positive contributions to society.

Also at the event will be 20 teams of Jr.FLL teams (consisting of students in third grade and below) showcasing their latest robots at the event. Oxford High’s TORC 2137 robotics team will also exhibit some of their creations.

Those that attend the event should prepare themselves for a wild time, according to FLL Tournament Director Katie Fallon.

“It’s almost like a football game for robots. It’s loud, it’s crazy, all these kids are really excited… As spectators, a lot of people like to watch it and to watch the robots drive around,” said Fallon.

Fallon also thanked two Oxford organizations for supporting the TORC team and Oxford robotics programs.

Legacy Center in Oxford recently assisted the TORC team by donating 1000 square feet of space to house the FIRST Oxford Robotics Center. Cracked Electronic Repair also donated 500 square feet of space towards TORC’s space, resulting in 1,500 square feet of space for TORC instructors to mentor the FIRST Jr.FLL, FLL, and FTC teams of Oxford.

“(They are) really helping out the community. 1,500 square feet… I mean that’s huge, that really helps us out with our practice time. At the schools, we can’t always practice. There might be a football game, a book fair, there’s always something… but now that we have this, we can practice anytime we want,” said Fallon.