At the Middle School, we do the FLL Challenge. Learn more at this link.
What is the FIRST LEGO League?
2025 – 2026 Unearthed Theme Teaser
FIRST LEGO League (FLL) Challenge Division Program
To participate in the fall program, you must have participated in a previous FLL Challenge experience, be currently taking or have completed the MS Robotics class, have other robotic competition experience, or be willing to write a paragraph on why you want to participate. (Prior approval from Mr. Schaefer is required.)
Joining the FIRST LEGO League requires a significant commitment in time and energy, and each member is expected to contribute to all facets of the season. This includes the Robot Game, Project, and building and displaying the FLL Core Values.
If you don’t have this level of commitment, we suggest taking the Afterschool Enrichment program called MS Robotics. This Enrichment will develop the skills needed to join the FIRST LEGO League competition teams in the future. This class may complete some of the activities done by FIRST LEGO League teams, but it will not be a competition team.
FLL Challenge Teams Overview and Philosophy
We strive to include all interested students on FLL teams and usually have competitive teams that have fun and learn to work together. We had four teams in past years, which stretched our ability to meet and field competitive teams. In addition, a growing number of students were not fully committed to all the elements of FLL, which affected their team’s ability to be both competitive and have fun. Therefore, we have restructured how we develop and manage FLL teams to ensure that the highly motivated teams reach their potential with support from staff and parents. We believe the FLL Challenge Teams will fulfill that goal, as students and parents should only sign up for that team if they are fully committed to FLL.
We also acknowledge that some students want to learn to build and program autonomous robots but are not interested in the other parts of the FLL season. Those students should enroll in the MS Robotics Afterschool Enrichment class. This class will use different types of robots and offer different coding opportunities. Melissa Mack, who teaches STEAM by Design and Computer Science at the Middle School, will teach the class.
Our ability to support the FLL Challenge teams depends on the availability of parent volunteers. All teams require a primary and a secondary coach who can attend weekly practices. Teams can also benefit from a research coach to help manage student research, interviews, and other aspects of the innovation project.
Durham Academy staff members Karl Schaefer, Donovan Polk, and Michelle Preslik will assist Mr. Schaefer this year in supporting and guiding teams. We expect a few Youth Adult Mentors (YAMs) from the Upper School to join us again as part of their outreach work on the FRC team, DARC SIDE.
Participation Costs:
Registration for participating on a team in the DA Middle School FLL Robotics fall program is $500.00. This fee covers FIRST registration, t-shirts, buttons, and pays for our DA staff. Durham Academy supplies all equipment.
Practice Sessions:
Weekly practice will take place on Wednesdays from 3:15 to 5:00, and, when coaches and teams decide, on Sundays from 12:00 to 3:00. Weekend practices are only available if a DA employee is present. We are working on having someone on Sundays. Coaches will work with Mr. Schaefer, Mr. Polk, and Ms. Preslik to coordinate weekend practices. **Teams may not practice any other day after school unless prior arrangements are made with either Mr. Schaefer or Mr. Polk.
Mr. Schaefer reserves the right not to invite or dismiss any student or parent who does not meet these expectations. Dismissal does not result in an automatic refund after the standard Afterschool Enrichment refund window closes.
In FLL, children complete tasks such as programming an autonomous robot using a LEGO SPIKE Prime set to score points on a thematic playing surface and creating innovative solutions to problems, all while guided by the FLL Core Values. These three elements — the Robot Game, Project, and FLL Core Values — make up the yearly “Challenge.” Teams will also consult with experts in fields related to the yearly challenge.
The FLL Challenge Team competes at a high level in all aspects of the FLL season. All members fully participate in the robot design and game innovation project research, including outreach to experts in the field related to your team’s innovation project for interviews.
These teams attempt to qualify for the state tournament and typically score as ‘Developing’ or ‘Accomplished’ on the FLL Innovation Project and Robot Design scoring rubric matrix (PDF).
To be on the team, students and parents must pledge to meet the significant time commitment and effort required to become a high-functioning and competitive team. Team members will be invited to participate based on their efforts and core values demonstrated last year. Participation requires previous years of FLL participation or successful completion of MS Robotics. The FLL Challenge team is often appropriate for committed students in the 6th grade and higher.
Team members are expected to participate and contribute to all aspects of the season. In addition to meeting during the week, students will have assignments between meetings and additional weekly and weekend meetings as the competition dates approach. Parents must support the team beyond transporting their students to weekly practices and weekend meetings. Additional parental support roles include assisting with field trips and volunteering at regional and state events.
Attendance Expectations: Team members are expected to attend every practice session and fully engage in all aspects of the season, such as the robot design, robot game, innovation project interviews, and research while building the core values (Teamwork, Inclusion, Impact, Discovery, Innovation, and Fun) that are at the heart of FLL.
Attendance at Events: All team members and parents should block out the days below. Members will be expected to attend the scrimmage and one qualifier based on the tournament’s location and team choice. Although it is encouraged, not all teams must attend the same qualifier.
- The Bull City Scrimmage is often on the 3rd Saturday in October. Teams are encouraged to attend.
- Local FLL Challenge qualifying tournaments are typically held on the 2nd and 3rd Saturdays in November and the 1st Saturday in December.
- Teams may qualify for a regional tournament, usually held on the second Saturday in December.
- Teams may qualify for the state tournament, usually on the 2nd Saturday in January.
This significant time commitment may be too much for many students and parents.
Multiple FLL Challenge teams will be formed if the enrollment demands it. DA strives to limit the number of team members to no more than 5 when possible.
We need at least two parents to serve as coaches (one coach supervises the robots, and one coach supervises the projects), and two parents to serve as team supporters per team to form teams. Without parental support, this enrichment is not possible.
Coaches – An FLL team must have at least two (2) screened Lead Coaches. One coach supervises the robots, and the other coach supervises the projects.
Team Supporter – Teams can benefit from having adults present to help them, but not be the actual team coaches. If you agree to be a team supporter, you will be matched with your child’s team. This role requires the least time commitment, as supporters can coordinate the days they are available with the team’s coaches.
Learn more about these roles at the new FIRST training site to learn what those roles require. https://www.firstinspires.org/mentoring-and-coaching/story.html