Lustre News
The Lustre Lions Lego League sent two teams of four each to the qualifiers competition of the First Lego League Challenge in Billings on Jan. 25. They competed against 22 teams gathered in Billings from schools of various sizes.
Principal Matthyser said the “two amazing coachers were Mr. Sarel Matthyser and Ms. Ligia Earley, and both our teams qualified for State!”
Team Lustre Lions Leaguers A took first place in the Robot Ranking round in Billings. The team consists of captain Liam Reyneke (seventh grade), Samuel Byers (sixth), Ian Unrau (grade four) and Josua Matthyser (grade four).
Team one captain Justin Schiller (seventh grade), Nancy Schiller (sixth grade), Bryanna Allen (sixth grade) and Christiaan Nell (fourth grade)] placed second in the Robot Ranking round. The Lustre Lego League fundraisers covered team shirts, travel, lodging and food expenses.
Each team has 2 minutes 30 seconds to “do a run” before a panel of three judges to show how their robots can do tasks to solve problems in the season’s theme challenge. This year the theme was oceans. The problem to solve had to do with “finding creatures in the polar waterways.” Their presentation included a play to show the need for their robot skills.
Jan. 28 was an exciting time at Awana with the grand prix pine derby competition. The junior group (grades fourth through sixth) made wooden cars to race and were judged in speed and in design categories.
Leaders helping with the event were Michael Brown, Austin Neufeld, Lynn and Brandt Unrau, Wacey Ortmann and Nathan Fast. Wacey and Nathan were the mechanics if the wheels came off. The stands were filled with students of other levels and parents and grandparents.
The winner in the speed was Gavin Pancratz with his “Finishline Crosser.” Hannah Pancratz was second with her “Speed McQueen” car, and third was Marlie Reddig with “Penguin Express.”
The winners in the Best Design category were first, Jake Neufeld (C4 car); second, Nancy Schiller with “The Garden of Eden” car; and third, Millie Olfert with “Wiz Popper,” an orange juice car.
Michael Brown gave a devotional on time and wise use thereof from Ephesians 5:15 and Ecclesiastes 3:1-8. He challenged the students with the following questions: “How am I using my time?”, “Is God honored by how we use our time?”, “How much of our time is spent in prayer, reading Scriptures?” “Where will you go, when your time on earth is done?”
Awana Captain Dawson Olfert announced a verseathon, with students reciting all the verses they have learned, on Feb 26. He invited the community to do the same, or be listeners for the verse-athon. It will be a fundraiser for missions, including Beacon Bible Camp and El Roi Mission.
Alicia Olfert oversaw the Lustre Grade School spelling bee on Friday, Feb. 1. Four students spelled their way to compete in the Valley County Spelling Bee, to be held in LGS gym on Feb. 26 at 1 p.m. Eighteen of 20 made it to the second round, and 10 students made it to round 3. They were Ian Unrau, Micah Zerbe, Aubrey Klatt, Jake Neufeld, Hannah Pancratz, Joe Olfert, Harlo Reddig, Liam Reneke, Justin Schiller and Tessa Olfert. Qualifying to represent Lustre Grade School in the Valley County Spelling Bee are Harlo Reddig, Justin Schiller, Tessa Olfert, and Hannah Pancratz. Ian Unrau (grade four) was declared the alternate. Harlo Reddig placed first.
