On Saturday, September 19, students, parents, coaches, mentors, and volunteers gathered at the Putnam Museum & Science Center, in Davenport, for the 13th annual Quad Cities FIRST LEGO League kickoff event.

Hosted in partnership between the Quad Cities Engineering & Science Council (QCESC) and the Putnam Museum & Science Center, this free event launched the 2026–2027 FIRST CANOPY™ season and allowed those gathered to explore the new BIOGLOW™ FLL Challenge.

Throughout the day, those in attendance were able to:

• Discover the 2026–2027 BIOGLOW challenge and robot game.
• Explore Core Values, Innovation Project, Robot Design, and Coding.
• Connect with STEM professionals, colleges, universities, and community partners.
• Learn from experienced coaches, referees, and FIRST volunteers.

In BIOGLOW, FIRST LEGO League teams will experience the vibrancy of the world's ecosystems through two program editions: Founders Edition and Future Edition.

Across the Southeast Iowa STEM Region, teams will be hard at work to make this another season of fun and success. We love nothing more than seeing those successes up close, and we welcome photos, videos, stories, and invitations to come see the fun in person.

Best of luck to all on a great season ahead!