LEGO Contestants Score with Viewers and Judges

Over 90 adults and young people enjoyed the original creations displayed at the 2012 LEGO Contest organized by St. Luke's Episcopal Church in its Willard Hall on Main Street in Chester on Saturday, April 14. Participating LEGO enthusiasts came from 13 towns in Vermont, two in New Hampshire, and one in New York State. The thirty-six entries by children Pre-Kindergarten through Sixth Grade provided imaginative displays that intrigued and inspired both younger and older onlookers. Judges Andrew Pennell of Bellows Falls, VT, and Chris Johnson of Concord, NH, spoke with each of the participants to learn in detail what they were trying to accomplish with their designs, the special features presented, and how long it took the young people to create their constructions. The judges' positive comments to each of the participants let the youngsters know what was most appealing or impressive to them and emphasized that the judges appreciated all the time, effort, and talent involved in each entry. So positive was the experience that many of this year's entrants have already planned what they will make for the 2013 contest!

Entries were judged by grade for their originality, imagination, and presentation. In the team entries, the age of the oldest member determined the grade. A separate family class enabled a variety of family members to collaborate, and a prize was awarded to the Gross Family of Cavendish for its creation entitled End of the Season: 30 Years of LEGOs. Two members of the family also won recognition in their grade categories.

At noon, LEGO prizes were awarded to the grade winners and runners-up, with special awards for the Most Fun, Most Vermont, Most Original, and Judges' Choice (considered Best in Show). While the judging went on, participants checked out the other entries, shared ideas and techniques, and enjoyed coffee and juice supplied by Lisai's Market and delicious homemade doughnuts made by the Whalen-Hensel-Browning Family of Chester.

Grade winners were as follows.

Pre-K:
First: Forest Police Station by Odin Mitchell of Chester
Second: Jack Attack by Jack Geisler of Andover

Kindergarten:
First: Star Cafè by Estella Gross of Cavendish
Second: Kite Car by Erika Kasser of Saxtons River

First Grade:
First: Summertime in Vermont by Connor Cavanagh of Chester
Second: Deadly Jump on Snowy Mountain by Eben Mosher of Chester

Second Grade:
First: Yellow Fort by Everett Mosher of Chester
Second: Peaceful Day in Vermont by Eli Mitchell of South Reading
Hon. Mention: LEGO Church by Ryan Colburn of Chester
Hon. Mention: Pet Store and Gas Station by Isabelle Gross of Cavendish

Third Grade:
First: Off-Road Truck by Burton Townsend of Springfield
Second: Farm Invaders by Oliver and Vivian Orthwein of Saratoga Springs, NY

Fourth Grade:
First: Green Beret Training Center by Willy Hugg of Charlestown, NH
Second: Name-It Factory by Sam Mitchell of South Reading

Fifth Grade:
First: Vermont Map by Gurion and Samuel Lake of Brookfield
Second: Buzz Saw Bill by Thomas Miller of Chester

Sixth Grade:
First: Easter Inspired by Morgan and Field Willis of Chester
Second: 158th Air Wing, Green Mountain Boys by Jadon Boudreaux of Charlestown, NH

Four special awards were also given.

Most Fun: Team Republic's Super Heroes Captain America's Avenging Cycle by Benjamin Munukka and Miles Caum of Chester, Grade 1
Most Vermont: Mud Season in Vermont by Otto Lichtensteiger of Ludlow, Grade 2
Most Creative: Horizontal Oceans by Ethan Westney of Redding, Grade 1
Judges' Choice and Best in Show: Bartonsville Covered Bridge by Jack Dunn and Pippin Sawyer of Chester, Grade 5

For various pictures of the exhibits, please visit www.stlukesepiscopalvt.org Special Events/Lego Contest and www.ourchester.org.

Proceeds from the contest enabled St. Luke's to send a $125 donation to the Children's Section at Chester's Whiting Library, where the Bartonsville Covered Bridge - judged Best in Show - is on display through mid June. For library hours call 802-875-2277.

For additional information about this year's event or the 2013 contest, please contact Lillian Willis at 802-875-1340 or [email protected].

Caption for photo:
Jack Dunn, age 10 at left, and Sawyer Pippin, age 9 - both of Chester - stand beside the model of the wooden covered bridge on Lower Bartonsville Road in Rockingham that they built for the 2012 LEGO contest run by St. Luke's in Chester. The original bridge, constructed in a lattice truss style with a span of 151 feet over the Williams River, was built in 1870 by Sanford Granger and destroyed in 2011 by raging floodwaters caused by tropical storm Irene. The LEGO bridge is on display at the Whiting Library, 117 Main Street in Chester, until mid June. Inside the bridge model, the boys added a truck and a father teaching his child to ride a bike. This entry was the Judges' Choice for Best in Show.