A new program in Lee County is trying to create the next generation of scientists, engineers and mathematicians. And the first attempt appears to have been a big success.
The participants arrived early, even before the organizers were ready for them to enter the Keokuk Public Library's Round Room They had to wait in the lobby until the clock struck 6:00 p.m.
Once it did, a group of 16 local elementary school students swarmed into the room to find eight laptops and eight boxes of Legos atop four tables.
They paired off, listened to some brief instructions, and dug into the boxes to start building a pair of motorized "dancing ducks" as part of the new Lego Robotics program at the library.
Similar programs will soon launch at the libraries in Fort Madison, Donnellson and West Point, thanks to the Lee County Economic Development Group.
"We've received overwhelming support from the community for these kinds of programs," said LCEDG Communications Director Dana Klesner.
She said 2015 is considered a "Year of Action" in terms of business retention and expansion as well as workforce development in Lee County. And that starts with the skills these children are learning.
"Problem-solving skills, the math, science, engineering and (technology) along with the teamwork that they have to use to be able to put these together," Klesner said. "As you can see, there are students working together who don't know each other."
A handful of parents hung around to watch the kids work. There were also a few volunteers on hand, moving from table to table to make sure the kids were able to build their ducks.
The volunteers included members of Keokuk High School's Robotics Club, the Bionikats, including junior Tyler Claiborne.
Claiborne is in his third year on the team. He said the experience of building robots has really helped him in school.
"It activates the brain in the way it works," said Claiborne. "It helps with following directions too because there are just a lot of directions with it and you have to follow them all to make it work right."
In fact, Claiborne was a little jealous that a program like Lego Robotics was not around when he was in elementary school.
"I really wish that as a smaller kid, I would actually have had all this stuff to be a resource for when I got into this. I think that it is just a really great program and kids should stick with it."
Claiborne had another reason for being at the library that night. He and his teammates showed off their robot, Robcat Bobcat Charles III.
It takes two people to control the robot, which rolls around the room, scooping up whiffle balls and placing them inside a long, clear cylinder.
The demonstration was a huge hit with the young kids, including Payton and Eva, both of Keokuk, who worked together to build the ducks.
They spent their time laughing and smiling while also reading directions and assembling the pieces.
Payton, 9, said he was really glad he came to the event because, he said, "It's fun and exciting and really fun."
Eva agreed and they both said they would like to come to another night in the future.
It appears there is plenty of interest in the Lego Robotics programs in Lee County -- the waiting list for the first Keokuk event ran 14 deep.
LCEDG's Dana Klesner expects much of the same when the program moves to other parts of Lee County, starting with the Fort Madison Public Library at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 12.
