Nearly 50 Local Teams Will Gather for Unveiling of INFINITE RECHARGE^SM Challenge

Who: School-Business Partnerships of Long Island, Inc. (SBPLI) representatives/volunteers
Sponsors including FESTO Corporation, altice USA, Zebra Technologies and BAE Systems
Students and their coaches/mentors from 47 local FIRST^® Robotics Competition teams
Parents of participating FIRST Long Island students
LIU Post representatives

What: The FIRST^® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics season will kick off this weekend, with support from LIU Post and School-Business Partnerships of Long Island (SBPLI). During the event, 47 FIRST Long Island teams will gather in anticipation of learning about the forthcoming season’s robotics competition. Knowing only that this year’s theme is INFINITE RECHARGE^SM, the local FIRST teams, and the 4,000 teams from 35 countries, will receive this year’s game rules via a video feed that will broadcast at the same time across the globe.

Afterwards, each team will collect its kit of parts comprised of motors, batteries, construction materials and control and automation components. The students will use these kits to construct a 120-pound robot over the six-week design and build period leading up to the FIRST Robotics Competition tournaments.

When: Saturday, January 4
8:45 a.m. to noon

Where: LIU Post Tilles Center
720 Northern Blvd., Greenvale, NY 11548

Directions: LIE to Exit 41N (NY-106 N/NY-107 N/Oyster Bay). Use the right two lanes to turn right onto NY-106 N/NY-107 N/N Broadway. After 0.6 mile, keep left to continue to Cedar Swamp Rd. After 3.5 miles, turn left onto NY-25A W/Northern Blvd. Once on Northern Blvd., at the second traffic light (approximately 1 mile), make a left on Post Ln. at the LIU Post Tilles Center marquee road sign (entrance to LIU Post campus). Go past the two stop signs. Tilles Center is located on the left, after the second stop sign and behind the parking lot.

Photo Ops: SBPLI representatives watching the live transmission along with FIRST robotics team participants and their mentors. FIRST teams picking up their kits of parts. Students inspecting the challenge in order to develop strategies for robot construction, and to determine if they will play offense, defense, or both. Students’ parents learning about SBPLI’s mission and the importance of sustaining the FIRST robotics programs on Long Island. Representatives from sponsors including FESTO Corporation, altice USA, Zebra Technologies and BAE Systems.