FIRST® LEGO® League (FLL) is a result of an exciting alliance between FIRST and the LEGO Company. Guided by adult mentors and their own imaginations, FLL students solve real-world engineering challenges and develop important life skills. Maryland is one of many Regions around the world hosting FLL Challenge competitive events. Teams in each region are able to connect with one another and sign up for tournaments, culminating in a Championship. The Program Delivery Organization (PDO) in each Region is the hub for implementing FIRST® programs. Maryland’s PDO is the University of Maryland, Baltimore Campus (UMBC). A Program Delivery Partner (PDP) is the person associated with the PDO responsible for the implementation. Maryland had two PDPs -Dr. Jamie Gurganus and Mrs. Rose Young. The Maryland FLL Committee is made up of volunteers from around the state.
FIRST LEGO League Challenge provides students age 9-14 with a hands-on, interactive robotics program in a sports-like atmosphere. Teams of up to 10 players focus on team building, problem solving, creativity, and analytical thinking to develop solutions to a problem currently facing the world – the Challenge. FIRST® has programs for K-12 students, beginning with FLL Discover for pre-schoolers. After FLL Challenge, students can participate in FIRST Tech Challenge or FIRST Robotics Competition.
Each August, a new Challenge is unveiled to FLL Challenge teams across the world. Over the ensuing several months the teams strategize, design, build, program, test and refine a fully autonomous robot using LEGO MINDSTORMS™ technology. The teams also do their own research, talk to professionals, and develop compelling presentations which relate to the Challenge. At FLL competitions, the teams are evaluated on their robot’s performance, their presentation, teamwork and robot design.
For questions about FLL Discover (ages 4-6), contact FIRST directly (flldiscover@firstinspires.org)
For questions about FLL Explore (ages 6-10), contact the Maryland FLL Explore PDP Amber Driesman (adriesman@firstchesapeake.org)
For more about FIRST Tech Challenge or FIRST Robotics Competition, see the FIRST Chesapeake website (https://www.firstchesapeake.org/).
FIRST Chesapeake is the PDO for all other FIRST programs in Maryland, including FLL Explore.
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Last updated on November 24th, 2025