Two Stamford YMCA teams, one in the foreground, the other in the background, prepare their Lego projects.

Photo Credit: Felicia Hunter

Stamford Robotics co-founder Seema Winsor, right, emphasizes the need to follow to measurement specifications.

Photo Credit: Felicia Hunter

Robyn Wilson, 8, works on her model.

Photo Credit: Felicia Hunter

Ashley Bruno displays the model for her drawing of an arm, left, and her work, right.

Photo Credit: Felicia Hunter

Ashley Bruno, 8, said drawing sections of the human body helps her remember scientific names of the different parts.

Photo Credit: Felicia Hunter

From left, teammates Alison, Sean, Joshua and Nikhil get to work.

Photo Credit: Felicia Hunter

From left, Rachel, Robyn, Ashley, Arjun, Kaitlyn, Romina and Ivan gather together.

Photo Credit: Felicia Hunter

Ashley Bruno, 8, discusses her project with student mentor Rachel Winsor.

Photo Credit: Felicia Hunter

Scientific inquiry is taking place in a small room on an elevated level of the downtown Stamford YMCA, Sean McBean says.

"We're making something that tries to help eyes," Sean says, putting the finishing touches on his research team's viewing device, which is made of Legos. Sean, 7, went on to discuss the reason that technological advances for eyes are important.

"They help you see," said Sean. "Because if you didn't have eyes, you'd be just crashing into things. And what if you're crossing the street and there's a red light and you think it's a green light?"

On Wednesday, Sean and his team members – Alison Marroquin, Joshua Jimenez and Nikhil Arora, all 6 — were preparing to discuss their inventions at the Jr. FIRST Lego League Fourth Annual Expo. The free public event will take place Sunday at the Academy of Information Technology & Engineering beginning at 9 a.m. Stamford Robotics is organizing the event.

The structures were created by youngsters ages 6 to 9. The event's theme this year, "Engineering Meets Medicine," explores the world of biomedicine engineering.

Ivan Vasquez, 8, member of another YMCA team, points out the waiting room in his team's hospital model. Other team members are Romina Casahuaman, Robyn Wilson and Ashley Bruno, all 8, as well as Arjun Pawar, 6.

Ashley is drawing an arm for the team poster that highlights its different parts. "It's really fun just to build things like this," says Ashley.

Robotics co-founder Seema Winsor and student mentors made certain the kids adhered to specifications and other elements of the scientific process. For the YMCA junior teams mentors include Rachel Winsor, 17, Stephen Zuchelli, 15, and Kaitlyn Bruno, 13.

The expo is presented in partnership with the Stamford Public Education Foundation, Parent Teacher Council of Stamford and CTE Inc.

Will you attend the expo to support the kids and congratulate them on their creations?