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The Higher Polytechnic School of Technology and Science at Camilo José Cela University and SEK International School El Castillo hosted and celebrated a new edition of the FIRST LEGO League Madrid tournament, the international challenge focused on research, problem-solving, science, and robotics for young students. This year, the championship brought together over 250 children aged 6 to 14, divided into more than 40 teams from different schools in the region, including two teams from SEK-El Castillo and another two from SEK-Ciudalcampo.
One of the teams from SEK International School Ciudalcampo, named Wolverines, won the Innovation Project Award, one of the eight categories awarded during the event, recognizing the students who created the most innovative and disruptive prototype in the competition.
FIRST LEGO League is an international educational program promoted by LEGO Education and the FIRST Foundation, aimed at fostering young people’s interest in science and technology through hands-on learning experiences in robotics and STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). It also helps develop key skills such as complex problem-solving, critical thinking, creativity, teamwork, and project management.
This year’s challenge, SUBMERGED, focused on ocean and deep-sea exploration. For months, participants worked on their innovation project and designed and programmed a LEGO robot, developing essential skills such as teamwork, creativity, and critical thinking.
To encourage scientific and technological vocations in a fun and engaging way, young participants aged 10 to 16, organized in teams, contributed ideas and proposals for a scientific project, built and programmed a robot, and presented their projects to an audience.
Additionally, the FIRST LEGO League Jr. tournament took place for younger participants aged 6 to 9, also working in teams. This program is designed to spark their curiosity and guide them toward discovering ways to improve the world around them.
SEK Education Group promotes and fosters a STEAM culture as an essential part of student learning, as these skills are increasingly in demand in the jobs of the future. The institution is also particularly committed to reducing the gender gap in scientific fields from an early age.
For Camilo José Cela University, leading the organization of this event in Madrid reflects its strong commitment to technological and scientific education. “It is an honor for UCJC’s Higher Polytechnic School to engage with these young robotics talents, whose ideas can later be applied within our own engineering programs,” said Tomás García, Director of the Higher Polytechnic School of Technology and Science at UCJC.
Meanwhile, Elvira Chiquero, Principal of SEK-El Castillo, stated: “For our school, this tournament allows us to become, for a day, the hub of programming, critical thinking, skill development, and contextualized learning for many schools across Madrid.”
Building Robots in the Classroom
As part of this commitment to a STEAM culture, SEK International Schools place special emphasis on science and technology-related activities. These include educational robotics with LEGO and Arduino, programming in languages such as Python, Arduino, C#, and LUA, 3D design and printing, Minecraft, Virtual and Augmented Reality, video game development, and drone programming.
Robotics and programming allow students to design, build, and program robots capable of performing various tasks, helping them develop engineering, logic, and creativity skills. Through programming, they create applications, games, and websites, enhancing their computational thinking, digital literacy, and self-expression.
“Learning these skills from an early age has many benefits, such as sparking students’ curiosity and interest in science and technology, which motivates them to continue learning and exploring. It also builds their confidence and self-esteem by making them feel capable of creating and controlling their own projects, while improving academic performance by reinforcing concepts from other subjects such as mathematics, physics, and languages,” explained Gonzalo Pascual, TAC (Technology for Learning and Knowledge) Coordinator at SEK-El Castillo.
Taking Ownership of Their Learning
SEK schools feature Maker Spaces, dedicated areas that promote student autonomy, learning-by-doing, gamification, and Design Thinking, where students can engage in projects across multiple disciplines (science, technology, robotics, arts, and more).
Here, students take center stage in their own learning process, taking the initiative to think, plan, build, and bring their own projects to life. These facilities are equipped with cutting-edge technology, including 3D printers, tablets, and state-of-the-art computers.
