The FLL Awards represent recognition of excellent achievement for teams. Regardless of what country they are from or in which Championship tournament they compete, teams are judged using this group of awards that recognize a standard of excellence for all participants.

Awards Eligibility

Award distribution is spread as equitably as possible among the teams. Therefore, a team may not win more than ONE of the following FLL Core awards: Champion’s, Robot Design, Teamwork and Project.
To ensure fairness to teams and provide equal opportunity to win an award at a Championship tournament, teams are only eligible to win an award at the first Championship tournament they attend.

Awards List

The awards at FLL events fall into three categories.

FLL Core Awards

• Champion’s Award – this award is optional for qualifying tournaments

The Champion’s Award is the most prestigious award that a team can win. It celebrates the ultimate success of the FIRST mission and FLL Core Values. A champion is someone who passionately supports a cause. For FLL, our champions passionately inspire and motivate others about the excitement of science and technology, solving problems, working as a team, and demonstrating respect and Gracious Professionalism.

• Robot Design Award

Judges look for teams whose work stands out and makes them say “wow!”. Judges interview teams to learn their strategies for solving missions and their understanding of the design process. They also evaluate the robot’s mechanical design, degree of innovation, and programming effectiveness to further assess overall design quality.
The Robot Design Award may be broken down into three sub-awards: Innovative Design, Programming, and Quality Design

• Robot Performance Award

This award goes to the team whose robot is able to score the most points pursuing Challenge missions on the competition field. After each team has had a chance to run their robot for a minimum of three rounds, teams are ranked by their highest score in a single round. If two teams tie, their second highest scores are used to determine which among them has the higher ranking, and so on.

• Project Award

Judges look for teams whose quality research, innovative solutions, efforts sharing with the community and creative presentation best reflect an in-depth understanding of the various scientific disciplines and issues involved with the Project. Judges look for the team’s ability to have as many team members as possible participating in the presentation.
The Project Award may be broken down into three sub-awards: Creative Presentation, Innovative Solution, and Research Quality.

• Teamwork Award

Teamwork is critical to succeed in FLL and it is the key ingredient in any team’s success. This award is presented to the team whose members best demonstrate extraordinary enthusiasm and spirit, exceptional partnership, the utmost respect for their own teammates, and support and encouragement of fellow teams. They demonstrate confidence, energy, strong problem solving skills, and great group dynamics.

Optional Awards

• Against All Odds Award

This award goes to the team that improvises and overcomes a difficult situation while still making a respectable showing, with an attitude that shows, “We can overcome incredible odds if we never give up, no matter what!”

• Rising Star Award

At every tournament, there are teams that the judges notice and believe will soon be among the best and the brightest. The Rising Star Award recognizes a team that the judges believe stands out and that we expect great things from in future Challenges.

• Team Spirit Award

Some teams really know how to have fun. This award goes to the team that most enthusiastically demonstrates a commitment to getting others to see how accessible, fun, and rewarding science and technology can be, especially when you are part of a great team.

• Judges’ Award

During the course of competition the judges may encounter a team whose unique efforts, performance, or dynamics merit recognition. Some teams have a story that sets them apart in a unique way. Sometimes a team is so close to winning an award that the judges choose to give special recognition to the team. This award gives the judges the freedom to recognize the most remarkable teams for which a standard award does not exist.

• Local Awards

Tournaments may also offer local awards, with criteria created by the tournament organizers. Updates on such awards will be posted for each tournament.

Special Recognition Awards

• Outstanding Volunteer Award

This award honors the dedication of the volunteer(s) whose assistance and devotion helps change the lives of children in a positive way.

• Adult Coach/Mentor Award

This award goes to the coach or mentor whose wisdom, guidance, and devotion are most clearly evident in the team’s discussion with the judges.

• Young Adult Mentor Award

FLL presents this award to the young adult, high school or college mentor whose support, impact, inspiration, and guidance are most clearly evident in the team’s discussion with the judges.