About three local students will compete against school kids from around Australia in the Lego progamming contest in Adelaide this month. 

At the state titles in Sydney last week, team JEBLA from Moruya High School was second in the soccer category. 

The school’s rescue category team, Illuminati, was 27th of the 47 teams, and its other soccer teams came in 5th, 6th and 7th. 

JEBLA’s success followed a second place in the soccer category in the ACT competition in August. 

Before the state titles, held on August 27 and 28, the students visited Intel and Google offices in Sydney. 

Moruya High information and technology teacher Cathie Webber said the students learned “lots” about software. 

“The students had the opportunity to ask questions of four Google staff,” she said. 

“They were intrigued by the technology at Intel that is used by the CSIRO.

“Intel staff showed us some of the latest technology being developed and worked with us on one of our robots.”

Mrs Webber said the students were “overwhelmed” with their results at the titles. 

“They weren’t expecting to get those results,” she said.

“The kids are so keen to learn from their mistakes.

“One of them said to me, ‘I know what we did wrong and I know how to fix it’.

“They learned so much from observing other teams.”

Mrs Webber said the students were keen to improve and mentor other students after  the national competition. 

“The students are feeling confident for the national competition,” she said. 

“When they get back, they want to teach other students how to program and build the robots.” 

The national competition will be held from September 25 to 27.