When I first started working on creating a FIRST LEGO League team for Wild & Wonderful Enrichment back in January 2024, I didn’t fully grasp just how much of an adventure this would be—not just for the kids, but for me as well. As a homeschool enrichment program based out of my home in Baker, W.Va., Wild & Wonderful Enrichment has always been about creating opportunities for local homeschool students. Launching these teams felt like the perfect way to challenge them, inspire growth, and have some fun along the way.
It wasn’t easy to get started. I quickly realized that the costs for kits, materials, and registration were more than I had anticipated. We needed about $5,000 to cover everything. I reached out to local businesses here in Hardy County, and to my amazement, eight businesses stepped up to support us. Drifters Café donated six iPads, which was a game-changer for us. Clarke’s Gaming and Design-Build-Live each contributed $500, Farms Work Wonders gave $400, and Mathias Insurance Services, Baker Insurance, Grant County Bank, and Pilgrim’s each donated $100.
Though we didn’t quite reach our full goal, the generosity of our community got us close enough to make this dream a reality. I can’t thank these businesses enough for believing in us and helping us get to where we are today.
Fast-forward to December 7, and our teams—the Explore Team and the Challenge Team—traveled to Fairmont to compete in the 2024 West Virginia FIRST LEGO League State Championship at Fairmont State University. Watching these kids showcase months of hard work was nothing short of incredible.
Our Explore Team had a fantastic season. Their task was to create an artificial habitat for the ocean’s sunlight zone, and they went above and beyond with their creativity. They designed a fictional species called “The Great Tropical Fish,” built a submersible with a specimen collection lab, and coded it to move through different ocean zones. It even played celebratory music when discoveries were made. I was blown away by their ingenuity and teamwork.
The Challenge Team tackled the competition with the same enthusiasm. Their innovation project focused on improving deep-sea mining—a tough topic, but one they tackled head-on. Their robot game ranked 35th out of 51 teams, and they received strong feedback on their robot design, innovation project, and core values. It was their first time competing, and I couldn’t be prouder of how they performed and how much they learned.
This season has been a huge learning experience for everyone involved. One of the Challenge Team members, Josiah, said it best: “Each run of the program felt like an improvement until we got things down.” Another student, Zeke, shared, “Running the robot and seeing what worked was my favorite part.”
As a coach, I’ve seen these kids grow so much—not just in their technical skills but in their ability to work as a team and tackle challenges head-on. It wasn’t always easy. There were moments of frustration, disagreements, and setbacks. But they pushed through, and the progress they made was incredible.
Parents noticed the growth too. One parent shared, “This program was such a great experience because it was both challenging and fun. It pushed the kids to think creatively, solve real-world problems, and work together as a team. Along the way, they gained confidence and valuable skills like public speaking.”
Now that we’ve wrapped up our first season, I’m already thinking about what’s next. We’re hoping to start a high school team next year, and that means we’ll need to start fundraising soon
I want to take a moment to thank the Moorefield Robotics coaches, Bonnie Crites and Alicen Adkins. They welcomed us into their scrimmages and answered my many questions as we prepared for the competition. Seeing their teams, the Lady Jackbots and Jackbots, take home awards at the state championship was inspiring and well-deserved.
Programs like this aren’t just about robots—they’re about giving kids the chance to work together, problem-solve, and think like engineers. They’re about inspiring creativity and confidence. And they wouldn’t be possible without the support of our community. Together, we can continue to give these kids opportunities to learn, grow, and shine. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for the Wild & Wonderful Enrichment First Lego League Teams.
