Laguna Blanca’s STEM program will welcome 140 Santa Barbara area children to its 1st Annual Master Builder Competition with LEGO, noon-4 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 12, at Laguna Blanca’s Middle School Quad, 4125 Paloma Dr.

The free, fully subscribed event will serve as a regional competition for Santa Barbara’s young Lego builders to showcase their talents in a challenging, competitive environment.

There will be three divisions: grades K-2, 3-4 and 5-6. The divisions will compete in dedicated time slots so prizes for each division can be awarded in a timely manner after each division competes. Individual students in grades K-6 will participate for 30-40 total minutes.

Each entrant will compete in four separate events:

» Owl Build: a timed build where participants will build Laguna Blanca’s mascot, Swoop the Owl.
» Structure Shake: competitors will be tasked to build the highest vertical structure on a base plate.
» Bridge the Gap: competitors will be tasked to build a structure that spans a fixed distance gap.
» Gravity Race: competitors will be tasked with constructing a race car to travel down a ramp in the shortest possible time.
» The top three builders in each division will earn a trophy and an additional Lego kit (ex. Lego City, Ninjago, Architecture).

For more information contact Laguna Blanca STEM Coordinator Zack Moore, 805-687-2461 ext. 0543 or zmoore@lagunablanca.org. For more about Laguna Blanca School, visit www.lagunablanca.org or contact 805-687-2461.

— Tara Broucqsault for Laguna Blanca School.