It’s been said that those who don’t learn history are “doomed to repeat it.”

A local First Lego league team turned that lesson on its head and applied it to the future. The youngsters learned about the problems associated with aging, and figured out a way to help.

The impressed judges at the Boonshoft Museum Regional Tournament gave Springboro’s “Wii Got It!” team its highest honor: the Champions Award.

“This year’s theme for the competition is Senior Solutions, and challenges teams to adopt a senior. They learn about that individual and what challenges he or she may face as a result of aging,” said assistant coach Christina Papakirk.

Her “Wii Got It!” team adopted a very active 80-year-old by the name of Toula Stamm. She is a retired radio and television producer who was having hip problems. Team members Nick Bowling, Om Desai, Amay Kejriwal, Divij Lankalapalli, Ruhi Lankalapalli, Alex Papakirk, and Luke Sferrella got to work.

They devised an interactive program for seniors to use for hip rehabilitation. One of their ideas was for seniors to use a hula hoop motion. The team presented their program to the rehabilitation staff at Hillspring Transitional Care Center in Springboro on Dec. 21.

“I have been so impressed with the quality and sensitivity of their ideas, and touched by their affection and concern for Toula,” said Papakirk.

The three other Springboro teams that will be traveling to district level competition at Central State University on January 12-13 are: The Avengers, Brainy Bunch, and Monstrous Mindstorms. The Avengers, coached by Sunny Anand and assisted by Monalee Vyas, won the Robot Design Award at Boonshoft. The team’s senior solution was an online yoga routine.

The Brainy Bunch and the Monstrous Mindstorms qualified for districts at the Sinclair Community College Regional Tournament on December 1.