Students at Nicholson Elementary won the Global Innovation Award at this year’s FIRST Lego Robotics Schooner Qualifier held in Biloxi on Dec. 2.

Out of the 24 teams that participated in the competition, Nicholson’s team of eight students won the award for their innovative design that recycles rainwater.

This year’s theme was hydrodynamics, which focuses on the recycling, transportation and reuse of water.

Students were required to find a community problem and devise an innovative solution to deal with it.

Michelle Carter, coach of Nicholson Elementary’s First Lego League, said the team utilizes EV3, a type of programmable Lego, to build their robots. As part of this year’s competition, the team utilized a rain barrel and water hose at the school.

Utilizing materials donated by the local Home Depot, students modified a water pump into a “ram” pump, which builds water pressure without the use of electricity.

The modified pump pushes water across a facility of any size.

Carter said the students were judged on the basis of their submission, its core values and the robot itself.

“I think it’s a very unique concept. It can be used to transport water to places that do not have easy access,” Carter said.

The team’s project has been submitted to the state competition and Carter believes that the product could marketed and help a lot of people.

Winners in the state competition will progress to nationals.