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2018 SESSION

18105059D
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 259
Offered February 13, 2018
Commending the J. Michael Lunsford Middle School Lego Lions.
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Patrons-- Bell, John J.; Senator: Black
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WHEREAS, J. Michael Lunsford Middle School Lego Lions is a robotics team from Chantilly that secured a patent for a lifesaving device they developed as part of an educational competition; and

WHEREAS, in 2013, the Lego Lions participated in a challenge hosted by FIRST LEGO League (FLL), a program that supports science and technology education for young people; along with a robotics component, the competition required teams to complete a research project on the theme of disaster preparedness; and

WHEREAS, the Lego Lions team was comprised of seventh grade students Rohan Arora, Rahul Busayavalasa, Prasan Chari, Caroline Maloney, Grace Maloney, Satya Paruchuri, Connor Patterson, and Samantha Steadman; and

WHEREAS, for their FLL research project, the Lego Lions developed a more practical and less cumbersome life jacket with the goal of saving lives during flash floods and other natural disasters; and

WHEREAS, the Lego Lions created the “Floodie,” a life jacket that resembles a hooded sweatshirt in appearance; the jacket self-inflates when submerged in water for more than three seconds and includes a provision pouch stocked with a flashlight, foil blanket, GPS beacon, and enough food and water to allow the user to survive while awaiting rescue; and

WHEREAS, the Lego Lions presented the Floodie prototype at FLL tournaments and were honored with the Research Award at the FLL state championship tournament at James Madison University; and

WHEREAS, along with showcasing the Floodie at FLL competitions, the Lego Lions also submitted their design to the United States Patent and Trademark Office; with the help of the law firm Oblon, which took on their case pro bono, the students secured a patent on their invention in November 2016; and

WHEREAS, the members of the Lego Lions demonstrated creativity, determination, and skill in creating the Floodie and have undoubtedly bright futures ahead of them; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend the J. Michael Lunsford Middle School Lego Lions on patenting their Floodie life jacket; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the J. Michael Lunsford Middle School Lego Lions as an expression of the General Assembly’s admiration for their impressive accomplishments and best wishes for the future.