First Lego League team Landroids, is the 2^nd place Robot Quality Design and 3^rd place Robot Performance awards winner at the Power Puzzle World Festival, which was held at the Georgia Congress Center/Dome at Atlanta , GA from April 17 to April 19, 2008. (Watch video)

Out of 82 FLL teams from around the world, Landroids which comprised of a group of 5^th and 6^th graders, was the only team to receive two major awards.  Students were judged on project research, team work, robot performance and robotic design.

This year, the robot performance competition was extremely fierce; many teams were able to achieve multiple perfect scores of 400 in 2 ½ minutes.  At least 18 teams got 400 points in one of the rounds.  The 1^st place awards went to the Taiwan team Black Ocean Current and the New Hampshire team Green Man Group, who both got 3 rounds of 400 points. Landroids, though able to finish the missions in less than 2 minutes, got the next highest score of 400, 400, and 385, placed third.  Landroids’ robot was fast, efficient and able to self-expand, therefore, also won 2^nd place in robot design, after the Germany team Alleskönner?!, who was praised for their simple, functional and consistent design. (Watch NASA FLL webcast downloads to find your favorate teams).

The World Festival was a great opportunity to meet the best of the best, whether they are the FLL, FTC or FRC teams since all three events were held concurrently.  The atmosphere was always with high energy especially when the former President George H.W. Bush attended the opening ceremony, to recognize the importance of promoting science and technology advancement of young students through the FIRST world-wide competitions. Everyone worked hard, compete intensely, exchange ideas and souvenirs during the day.  Then at nights, teams played and ate together at the ice cream social, visited the aquarium, and partied at the Finale extravaganza.  The experience was definitely worth missing a few days of school!  We worked hard and played hard!