youth - EmBe

FIRST® LEGO® League 2022-23 Championship Recap

Melissa Carter2023-03-20T15:16:24-05:00

All season, youth involved in FIRST® LEGO® League (FLL) have worked together to create, code, and compete to advance to the final FLL Championship, which took place earlier this month at Augustana University’s campus in Sioux Falls, SD. Teams traveled across South Dakota, North Sioux City to Rapid City, and many cities and small towns in between, to compete and showcase their complex robots. Teams were judged based on their innovation project, presentation skills, robot design, and core values. Our 2022-23 Season Challenge was a SUPERPOWERED℠ theme and had teams creating an innovation project that included a real-world solution utilizing renewable energy. [...]

FIRST® LEGO® League 2022-23 Championship RecapMelissa Carter2023-03-20T15:16:24-05:00

Star Power: Girls on the Run® Helped One Runner Regain her Shine

Melissa Carter2020-07-31T07:54:55-05:00

“I hate myself.” Cassidy Wassenaar, a Girls on the Run coach, found this message on one girl’s lap goal card after a long practice. Concerned, Wassenaar asked her about the message. The little girl explained that it had been a rough day — it was her first time in timeout since kindergarten. Wassenaar spied the perfect teaching moment. “Hating ourselves is like having a cloud over our head,” she explained. “What can we do instead?” The girl replied, “Activate our star power!” Wassenaar helped the girl to find five ways to activate her star power. Star power, a Girls on [...]

Star Power: Girls on the Run® Helped One Runner Regain her ShineMelissa Carter2020-07-31T07:54:55-05:00

Brookings Cross Country Runner Awards EmBe Grant through Gatorade

Allison Sinning2019-05-23T16:01:16-05:00

Ellie Abraham received her award and presented her gift to EmBe's Executive Director for Youth Programs, Stacy Stahl at Brookings High School's Athletic Awards. South Dakota State Gatorade Cross Country Runner of the Year, Ellie Abraham, awarded EmBe with a $1000 grant to help accomplish our mission to empower women and families to enrich lives. Abraham is a junior at Brookings High School. It's her second time being named Gatorade’s South Dakota Cross Country Runner of the Year. While this award recognizes incredible athletic performance, it also highlights athletes with high academic achievement and positive character both on [...]

Brookings Cross Country Runner Awards EmBe Grant through GatoradeAllison Sinning2019-05-23T16:01:16-05:00

Washington HS Student Awards EmBe Grant Through Gatorade

Melissa Carter2019-02-27T17:25:39-06:00

Lily received her award and presented EmBe representatives with their gift at before one of her games. Sioux Falls native and South Dakota Volleyball Gatorade State Player of the Year, Lily Bartling, awarded EmBe with a $1,000 grant to help accomplish our mission to empower women and families to enrich lives. Sports participation has seen a double-digit decline over the past decade, largely due to tighter budgets in communities, but young people that participate in sports are found to be happier, healthier and better students. Gatorade Play It Forward empowers Gatorade Player of the Year recipients across the [...]

Washington HS Student Awards EmBe Grant Through GatoradeMelissa Carter2019-02-27T17:25:39-06:00

FIRST LEGO League Makes Technology Accessible and Fun

Melissa Carter2019-03-04T13:54:20-06:00

FIRST: For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology As part of leading EmBe, I get to experience the impactful programs that fulfill our mission firsthand. Early on Saturday, February 2nd, I had my first taste of the state competition for FIRST® LEGO® League. The combination of robots, funny hats and coopertition© brought teams from across the state to Augustana University in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The numbers tell a huge impact story: 30 communities, 149 coaches, 447 students, and dozens of volunteers came together to demonstrate their mastery of technology and gracious professionalism. The purpose of FIRST LEGO League The [...]

FIRST LEGO League Makes Technology Accessible and FunMelissa Carter2019-03-04T13:54:20-06:00

Engage Your Imagination with Dramatic Play

Courtney Place2019-02-19T13:49:10-06:00

In the Dramatic Play Area children take on different roles and recreate real-life experiences. They use props and make-believe to deepen their understanding about the world they live in. The ability to pretend is very important to your child’s development. Children who know how to make believe develop a good vocabulary, which is important for reading. They learn to cooperate with others and solve problems, and are able to think abstractly—all important skills for success in school. When children pretend, they have to recall experiences and re-create them. To do this, they need to picture their experiences in their minds. [...]

Engage Your Imagination with Dramatic PlayCourtney Place2019-02-19T13:49:10-06:00

2019 FIRST LEGO League State Tournament Showcases Talent

Melissa Carter2019-02-28T13:28:18-06:00

Team members from Surge during one of their robot runs. On a chilly Saturday morning this month, FIRST Lego League teams were checking in by 7:30 am. "When Life Gives you Llamas", "Surge", "Hill City Robotics" and the "Fabulous Five" were just a few of the teams that came together to race robots, present solutions to problems generated by long space voyages, and compete in core values challenges. FIRST's mission FIRST LEGO League is unique, with a timely mission to "inspire young people to be science and technology leaders and innovators, by engaging them in exciting mentor-based programs that build [...]

2019 FIRST LEGO League State Tournament Showcases TalentMelissa Carter2019-02-28T13:28:18-06:00

After School Day at the Capitol

Melissa Carter2019-02-11T08:32:11-06:00

The South Dakota School-Age Care Alliance and South Dakota Afterschool Network hosted Afterschool Day at the Capitol on February 6. As part of the program, the FIRST LEGO League First Place Champion traveled to Pierre to share their presentation and talk to our legislators. The team When Life Gives You Llamas from O’Gorman Junior High School in Sioux Falls, SD, presented to the Democratic Caucus and was part of the recognition of FIRST LEGO League on the floor of the House. It is an incredible honor, as well as a powerful example of STEM programming, team building, and gracious professionalism. [...]

After School Day at the CapitolMelissa Carter2019-02-11T08:32:11-06:00

EmBe participating in South Dakota Gives on Giving Tuesday

Melissa Carter2018-11-20T17:50:45-06:00

First comes Black Friday, then Small Business Saturday followed by Cyber Monday. But at EmBe our favorite day is Giving Tuesday. Started as a day for consumers take a break from holiday shopping and do some holiday giving instead. EmBe has been participating in Giving Tuesday events for several years. This year, EmBe is participating in South Dakota Day of Giving on Giving Tuesday. For the first time ever, South Dakota has a concentrated effort to raise the philanthropic efforts of nonprofits on Giving Tuesday. Through a series of challenges and tasks, South Dakota Gives will hand out $125,000 in [...]

EmBe participating in South Dakota Gives on Giving TuesdayMelissa Carter2018-11-20T17:50:45-06:00

Volleyball Program Builds Confidence

Melissa Carter2018-11-19T16:46:39-06:00

Twice a year, EmBe conducts a ten-week volleyball program for children in grades 3 through 6. The league is broken into two divisions - 3rd and 4th grades and 5th and 6th grades. We believe in positively influencing youth through athletics that build confidence and quality friendships. Parent and Coach Raves! Our program is well-respected in the community and we love the feedback coaches and parents share with us each year. Here are five great reasons to get your child into EmBe's Volleyball program! "The kids have gained a skill that they can use for many years with rec leagues [...]

Volleyball Program Builds ConfidenceMelissa Carter2018-11-19T16:46:39-06:00