Sioux Falls Hosts FIRST LEGO League State Championship This Weekend

Students from across South Dakota will come together in Sioux Falls this weekend as Black Hills Special Services Cooperative hosts the FIRST LEGO League State Championship on Saturday, Jan. 24. The event will take place at Memorial Middle School and is free and open to the public.

Dakota News Now is reporting that FIRST LEGO League is an extracurricular program designed for students ages 9 to 14, combining science, technology, engineering, and math with teamwork and creative problem-solving.

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Since August, teams throughout the state have been preparing for the 2025–26 challenge, titled UNEARTHED. This year’s theme encourages students to explore archaeology and think about how studying the past can help shape the future.

“This championship represents months of hard work, teamwork, and creativity from students across South Dakota,” said BHSSC Learning Specialist Billie Jo Bakeberg. “It’s exciting to see young people confidently presenting their ideas, testing their robots, and cheering each other on.”

A total of 20 teams from communities across South Dakota will compete at the state level. More than 220 youth participants are expected to attend, along with about 40 coaches and 30 volunteers who help make the event possible.

Teams earned their spots at the state championship by advancing from two qualifier tournaments held in November and December. Following Saturday’s competition, one team will be selected to represent South Dakota at the FIRST LEGO League World Event, scheduled for April 29 through May 2 in Houston, Texas.

The championship highlights innovation, collaboration, and a passion for learning, while giving students a chance to showcase the skills they’ve been building all season.

Source: Dakota News Now

My Top 5 Favorite South Dakota Made Foods

As I was slicing a piece of cheese off my block of Dimock Dairy Colby cheese and boiling a ring of Bluebird Locker German sausage on the stove, I started thinking, "What foods is South Dakota known for?'

Then I realized the state is known for some of my favorite foods, are they're actually made right here in South Dakota!

So, I decided to search my cupboards and refrigerator looking for other South Dakota-made foods and came up with my Top 5.