Several local FIRST LEGO League teams earned invitations to national and international competitions after strong performances at the state contest this spring, showcasing months of innovation, coding and teamwork on this year’s “Unearthed” theme.

Among the teams advancing are Code Crusaders, a homeschool team from Sandy, headed to the FIRST World Championships in Houston; B4 from Beehive Academy in Sandy, competing at the Canada Cup of Robotics in Ontario; Kinetic Koalas of Riverton, traveling to the Georgia Ramblin’ Robots Invitational; Panda Bots from Taylorsville, invited to the WAFFLE Invitational in Massachusetts; and BeeSTAR from Beehive Academy, advancing to the American Robotics Invitational in New Jersey.

FIRST LEGO League introduces students, ages 5 to 16, to hands-on STEM learning through robotics, research and engineering challenges. Teams design and code LEGO-based robots to compete while also creating innovative projects tied to a yearly theme. This season, students explored archaeology and excavation-related issues, developing solutions for issues faced in the field.

The Panda Bots developed the “Pain Relief Sifter,” a portable device designed to reduce the strain archaeologists experience while sifting dirt for artifacts.

“It provides relief to the back, shoulders and neck,” said seventh-grader Jacob Fletcher. “Archeologists stand and shift dirt back and forth for hours; they lift buckets of dirt that weight about 20 pounds.”

Sixth-grader Parker Millington said the team consulted experts while developing the project.

“We talked to two archeologists and they both said that was one of the worst problems for archeologists so we worked on a way to improve it for them,” he said.

Seventh-grader Tanner Adams said they used engineering skills to help them while fourth-grader Rilynn Millington said they focused on portability with removable legs.

“We made the device portable, which is something they wanted,” she said.

Parker added: “There’s wheels on it so the archeologists can move it over different terrains. I’m glad we made something they can use.”

Teammate Byron Hospodarsky, a fifth grader, said he learned skills beyond engineering: “I’ve learned how to work together better by working with many people on our team.”

Students at Plymouth Elementary in Taylorsville designed a device that scans the ground for artifacts and collects them with a scoop while recording locations for archaeologists to revisit later.

“We brainstormed ideas and then talked to archeologists” to come to the idea, said fifth-grader Ben Moss.

Academy Park’s “Artifacts” from West Valley City had earned first place at an early February competition to qualify for state.

Fifth-grader Ailynn Galeano said the project was “intriguing” while her teammate, fifth-grader Hailey Vera admitted building the robot wasn’t easy. She learned persistence from coding the team’s robot.

“We had to keeping trying over and over to get it right,” she said.

Eighth-grader Athena Meek, with St. John the Baptist Middle School in Draper, said she learned “a lot of patience and even if you go over things several times, things can still mess up.”

The “Sandworms” team created an RC car prototype to transport and sift dirt over rocky terrain.

“I like to use my brain so I like that FLL is more ‘brain enthusiastic,’” she said. “I like to research and use science so FLL is a good match.”

Olympus Junior High’s Skelexcavators consulted the Natural History Museum of Utah while refining multiple versions of their prototype.

“It’s been challenging, but I like solving problems,” eighth-grader Everett Sorenson said.

Eighth-grader Alden Webb added he enjoys his teammates: “I like the people on the team, who, like me, like coding and problem-solving.”

Butler Middle School’s eighth-grade Sean Olson, sixth-grader Conlan Pugh and seventh-grade Aymeric Barbier shared their team consulted historians to learn about 100,000 land mines remaining from both World War I and II in Asia, South America and Europe impact people’s lives yet today. So they created a blueprint to destroy those without ruining artifacts.

Eighth-grader Caspean Sciotto-Eggers said with little information, they had to research their topic.

“The judges liked our project, because it was unique; not many people are talking about land mines,” she said. “It's an interesting topic because you don't think about how there are still landmines from the wars that make places unhabitable.”

Beehive Academy’s BeeSTAR team created a sunscreen and skin-protection lotion for archaeologists working long hours outdoors in dry conditions.

“Our project helps us to stand out,” seventh-grader Tucker Holt said. “With innovation projects, everyone expects something big and flashy. When we say, ‘we made sunscreen,’ it's a bit hard to sell, but we also educate and sell that skincare is important.”

Teammate Ellenore Roberts, an eighth-grader, added the formula they developed and tested has a color factor in the sunscreen.

“So when it fades, it reminds you to reapply, so you don't get burned,” she said.

Eighth-grader Poorri Nandiraju said the experience taught teamwork and leadership.

“Each one of us on our team has strengths and weaknesses,” she said. “I’ve learned from my different teammates, and I’ve liked learning different building and coding strategies. Each of us are a leader in our way.”

Panda Bots’ fourth-grader Tate Adams summed up his experience: “I like it all.”