The Fearless Feminine Felines, First Lego League team, consisting of girls ages 10 to 14 from Bluffton and Ada, placed second of 27 teams at a Versailles qualifying tournament on Nov. 23.

Only one of three all-girl teams competing, the Felines advance to the next tournament level to compete to be one of the top teams in northwestern Ohio. That tournament is Jan. 18 in Sylvania.

Team members are Bluffton seventh graders, Sophia Kaufmann, June Essinger and Mackay Tuttle; Bluffton eighth grader, Adanna Johnstone; BHS freshman, Sabina Clingerman; and Ada fifth grader, Callie Burgess.

First Lego League is a global robotics competition built around theme-based challenges to engage youth ages 9-16 in research, problem solving, coding and engineering. 

The foundation of the program includes first core values emphasizing teamwork, discovery and innovation. The program enables participants to become more confident, excited and equipped with skills they need in a changing workforce.

The 2019-2020 season challenge is called City Shaper. In the competition teams create new, innovative solutions to help shape the future, using the environment, modern-day tools and technology to make it last. 

There are four parts to the judging at the competitions. 
• Robot design 
• Robot game 
• Project and 
• Core Values.

The Fearless Feminine Felines' have chosen to research and create an innovative solution for the Village of Bluffton as its project. 

During initial research, some residents expressed concern with the snow that piles between the road and the sidewalk on Main Street, and how it creates a barrier to businesses for those with mobility challenges. 

The team shared their idea with local leaders and business owners and since then have been working on researching and refining a solution that may be used to alleviate this concern.

Four coaches for the team are Gail Clingerman, head coach, Jon Tuttle and Rudi Kaufmann of Bluffton and Megan Burgess of Ada.  

Team members
Team members, from left, Sophia Kaufmann (7th grade), June Essinger (7th grade), Mackay Tuttle (7th grade), Sabina Clingerman (9th grade), Adanna Johnstone (8th grade) and Callie Burgess (Ada 5th grade).