Rep. Gonzales offers the following resolution:

            House Resolution No. 518.

A resolution congratulating Carman-Ainsworth's Rankin Elementary Team 55 for their victory in the FIRST LEGO League 2008.

Whereas, We recognize the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) LEGO League, an annual statewide and international competition for elementary and middle school students, for inspiring youth to engage in real-world topics related to the sciences; and

Whereas, FIRST LEGO League is an opportunity for students to celebrate science and technology by using LEGO bricks, sensors, motors and gears to construct and program a robot that can complete various timed missions.  Students must research, strategize, design, build and test their robots in order to complete the challenge; and

Whereas, The 2008 challenge was "Climate Connections" where teams explored why experts believe earth's climate is changing and how it impacts people and the planet; and

Whereas, Forty-eight teams across the state, including five teams from Genesee County, gathered for the championship tournament at Carman-Ainsworth Middle School in Flint Township on December 15, 2008, to compete for a place at the finals competition in the spring; and

Whereas, Rankin Elementary team will retain their state-championship title, for the third time, and go on to represent Michigan at the FIRST LEGO League World Festival in Atlanta, Georgia in April 2009; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the members of this legislative body congratulate the Carman-Ainsworth's Rankin Elementary Team 55, known as Da Peeps, for their victory in the FIRST LEGO League 2008. We applaud the efforts and contributions made by the students, parents, teachers and coaches that participated in this year's tournament; and therefore, be it

Resolved, That we recognize the FIRST LEGO League for engaging our youth and promoting critical thinking skills and solutions in the field of science and technology.