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Support Tolland County Robotics!
Program Overview
Program Overview
K - 4th Grade
Timeline: January 18th - April 30th
Season Festival: May 8th
The LEGO RISE Program: Robotics, Innovation, Skills, and Engineering, is an introductory program for K-4th grade students. Teams of five will work together to learn about a field of engineering and program a LEGO Robot to complete challenges!
Components & Content
Components & Content
LEGO RISE Program: Robotics, Innovation, Skills, and Engineering!
There are three main components of the LEGO RISE Program:
LEGO Robot Programming: Students will work with their teammates to learn how to code using SPIKE technology. We will cover basic coding skills, as well as sensors and other more advanced concepts. Each team will work to complete 3 different coding challenges, which will earn them points and the chance to win awards at the LEGO RISE Festival.
Engineering Models: Each team of five students is assigned a field of engineering (such as biomedical, mechanical, civil, etc) and will build a LEGO model about that field. This process will help students learn about their assigned field, and what those engineers do. All participants will get a basic overview of several fields, but will focus on one as a team.
Team Building and Values: The program is designed to encourage teamwork and communication. Each day we will discuss teamwork skills, and review five values essential for working with other people. We will do team building activities that help students to develop their teamwork abilities. At the end of the season, each team will have to present their team poster and model to a set of reviewers. We will practice basic communication and presentation skills.
2026-2027 Program
2026-2027 Program
Registration for our 2026-2027 Program is open!
Programs meet once a week from January 18th to April 30th.
There is no meeting the week of April 12th-16th.
The program is a total of 14 weeks.
The program is free for all!
Open to K-4th Graders.
There is no school, town, or residency requirement. Anyone is welcome to join the program.
You can choose from 1 of our 8 programs based on the day and location that works best for you!
Note there are two programs at Hall Memorial Library and the Tolland County Agricultural Center. These are two seperate programs (you sign-up for one program or the other, eg. if you sign-up for the Tuesday program, you only attend on Tuesdays).
The LEGO RISE Festival is the end-of-year celebration for the program. All participants are expected to attend. This is the team's chance to show off their work, win awards, and participate in fun STEM activities. The event will be on May 8th at the Tolland County Agricultural Center.
Hall Memorial Library 1 (Ellington)
Tuesdays
K-2nd Grade: 5:00-6:00
3rd-4th Grade: 6:00-7:45
Somers Public Library (Somers)
Tuesdays
K-2nd Grade: 4:45-5:45
3rd-4th Grade: 6:00-7:45
Andover Community Center (Andover)
Tuesdays
K-2nd Grade: 5:00-6:00
3rd-4th Grade: 6:00-7:45
Mansfield Public Library (Mansfield)
Wednesdays
K-2nd Grade: 4:30-5:30
3rd-4th Grade: 5:45-7:30
Hall Memorial Library 2 (Ellington)
Wednesdays
K-2nd Grade: 5:00-6:00
3rd-4th Grade: 6:00-7:45
Tolland County Agricultural Center 1 (Vernon)
Wednesdays
K-2nd Grade: 5:00-6:00
3rd-4th Grade: 6:00-7:45
Willington Public Library (Willington)
Thursdays
K-2nd Grade: 4:30-5:30
3rd-4th Grade: 5:45-7:30
Tolland County Agricultural Center 2 (Vernon)
Thursdays
K-2nd Grade: 5:00-6:00
3rd-4th Grade: 6:00-7:45
Registration
Registration
Registration is open!
Tuesdays: Hall Memorial Library 1 (5:00-6:00)
Tuesdays: Somers Public Library (4:45-5:45)
Tuesdays: Andover Community Center (5:00-6:00)
Wednesdays: Mansfield Public Library (4:30-5:30)
Wednesdays: Hall Memorial Library 2 (5:00-6:00)
Wednesdays: Tolland County Agricultural Center 1 (5:00-6:00)
Thursdays: Willington Public Library (4:30-5:30)
Thursdays: Tolland County Agricultural Center 2 (5:00-6:00)
Tuesdays: Hall Memorial Library 1 (6:00-7:45)
Tuesdays: Somers Public Library (6:00-7:45)
Tuesdays: Andover Community Center (6:00-7:45)
Wednesdays: Mansfield Public Library (5:45-7:30)
Wednesdays: Hall Memorial Library 2 (6:00-7:45)
Wednesdays: Tolland County Agricultural Center 1 (6:00-7:45)
Thursdays: Willington Public Library (5:45-7:30)
Thursdays: Tolland County Agricultural Center 2 (6:00-7:45)
This form is to be added to the waitlist for the LEGO R.I.S.E. Program. Robotics, Innovation, Skills, and Engineering. Only complete this form if the program you wish to register for is full. Note, students on the waitlist are NOT guaranteed a spot in the program. If a spot becomes available, we will contact you. After being contacted, you have 24 hours to register your child for the designated program, or you will lose your spot. The add/drop period is from January 18th - January 31st. If you have not been taken off the waitlist by the end of January, we are unable to offer your child a spot in the program.
Question and Answer
Question and Answer
For any questions not answered below, please contact ymacary@tcrobotics.org.
Is there any costs associated with the program?
Is there any costs associated with the program?
No, our RISE program is free to participate in. If you'd like to make a donation, please visit our donate page to support the efforts of the Tolland County Robotics Foundation.
Are parents required to stay for the duration of the program?
Are parents required to stay for the duration of the program?
Parents are required to stay on the premises for the duration of the program. We encourage parents to get involved and help out where they can- parent involvement makes our programs better!
How long is the program?
How long is the program?
The program lasts 14 weeks, with each meeting lasting for 1 hour for K-2nd grade students, and 1.75 hours for 3rd-4th grade students.
How do you communicate with parents?
How do you communicate with parents?
We communicate via email. If you register your child, please check your email regularly.
Do students need to be from a specific town to participate in the program?
Do students need to be from a specific town to participate in the program?
No, there is no residency requirement for any of our programs.
Do I have to attend every single session?
Do I have to attend every single session?
In this program, students are working with and commit to a team. As such, we expect students to attend every session. We understand that illness and other issues may arise, but we hope that every family that signs up commits to the program as much as possible.
Will students work in a team?
Will students work in a team?
Yes, students will be working in teams of 5-6 students for the duration of the season.
Who will be running the program?
Who will be running the program?
The program is run through a collaboration between public libraries and the Tolland County Robotics Foundation. The day-to-day is run by a Lead Mentor who is trained and background checked by the Tolland County Robotics Foundation. Each team has a volunteer mentor who works with them, and also recieves training from the Tolland County Robotics Foundation.
Is there a competition at the end of the season?
Is there a competition at the end of the season?
At the end of the season, students will attend a festival with other teams in the area. This will give them the opportunity to be recognized for their efforts throughout the season and to see other teams across the state.
What is the next program after LEGO RISE?
What is the next program after LEGO RISE?
After students become too old for the RISE Program, they can participate in FIRST Lego League Challenge. Please visit that page of our site for more information.
My student is in 4th grade, what program should they sign up for?
My student is in 4th grade, what program should they sign up for?
Starting in the 2026-2027 season, 4th grade students will be part of the LEGO RISE Program.
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