The 21st edition of the FIRST LEGO League Challenge tournaments, one of the world's largest children and youth organizations, has begun in Turkey under the name "Bilim Kahramanları Buluşuyor" (Science Heroes Meet). This year, under the theme "SUBMERGED – Ocean Explorers," the tournaments will host 500 teams and approximately 5,000 children and young people from 80 different cities. The first phase, the Izmir Local Tournaments, was completed at Fuar Izmir. Over the course of two days, 10 teams earned the right to participate in the National Tournament.
The 21st season of the Science Heroes Meet / FIRST LEGO League Challenge tournaments, one of the world's largest children and youth events, has officially started. Following 17 local tournaments in different cities, the season will conclude with the National Tournament on March 15-16 at Fuar Izmir, hosted by Izmir Metropolitan Municipality and İZFAŞ. The first phase, the Izmir local tournaments, has already been completed. Hosted by Izmir Metropolitan Municipality and supported by İZFAŞ, the 21st Season 1st Izmir Middle and High School Local Tournament was held at Fuar Izmir, with 68 teams from various schools in Izmir and surrounding provinces.
Every year, more than 300,000 children and young people from over 100 countries participate in the FIRST LEGO League Challenge tournaments. Since the 2004-2005 season, the Science Heroes Association has been organizing these events in Turkey under the name "Bilim Kahramanları Buluşuyor" (Science Heroes Meet). Since 2004, nearly 43,000 children from 80 cities in Turkey have participated in these tournaments. This year’s event follows the theme "SUBMERGED – Ocean Explorers." Throughout the tournaments, which will continue until March 2025, teams will explore the challenges faced by ocean explorers, develop innovative solutions, and program and build robots to complete LEGO-based missions that reinforce these concepts.
At the Fuar Izmir middle school tournaments, 6 cities were represented, while the high school local tournaments featured participants from 7 different cities, bringing together nearly 800 students and teachers to present their projects. Thanks to the support of over 100 volunteers each day, 10 teams secured their places in the National Tournament. Before the National Tournament, two more local tournaments will be held at Fuar Izmir on March 1-2.
During the Izmir Middle School Local Tournaments, 13 awards were presented, and four teams qualified for the National Tournament on March 15-16 at Fuar Izmir. The champion of the tournament was NEXURA from Izmir TAKEV Private Middle School. Other advancing teams include Enterprise Jr and KT Robotics from Bahçeşehir Bandırma Private Middle School in Balıkesir, Gentlemen of Oceans from Edremit Branch, and Future Designer from Private Salihli Bahçeşehir College Middle School.
In the Izmir High School Local Tournaments, 17 awards were presented, and six teams qualified for the National Tournament. The champion was MAXIMISE LİSE from Muğla Turgutreis Secondary School Campus Anatolian High School. Other qualifying teams include SMART G. from Denizli Şehir Soner Kutlu Science and Art Center, KRUSTY KRUBS from Izmir Private Çakabey High School, ROTATECH from Private Rota Science High School, ROBOKOD YEAL from Yunus Emre Anatolian High School, and GFORCE from Private Gelişim College High School.
