FIRST® Tech Challenge is a widely accessible international robotics program for students ages 12-18 created to get young people excited about science and technology-and teach them valuable lessons and life skills. Guided by adult coaches and mentors, students develop STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) skills and practice engineering principles, while realizing the value of hard work, innovation, and working as a team.
This year’s challenge was Ultimate Goals. The object of the game was to deliver as many wobble goals as possible to a randomly selected target zone, place in or launch rings into the tower goal, and launch rings to knock over power shot targets.
Twenty teams took part in the Championship. The competition was judged in three areas: innovation, robot design and Core Values, which embody aspects of teamwork and good sportsmanship. Top robot game scores were also honored. The award winners were as follows:
|
Award |
Winners |
|
Promote Award 1st Place: Promote Award 2nd Place: Promote Award 3rd Place: |
Team #10419 “Syosset ELITE,” Syosset Team #10169 “The Flying Bricks,” Mineola Team #4017 “RoboPandas,” Floral Park |
|
Design Award 1st Place: Design Award 2nd Place: Design Award 3rd Place: |
Team #14461 “RoboHawks,” Jericho Team #8013 “Team Kuiper,” Locust Valley Team #13847 “At Least It Didn’t Explode,” Greenlawn |
|
Motivate Award 1st Place: Motivate Award 2nd Place: Motivate Award 3rd Place: |
Team #10419 “Syosset ELITE,” Syosset Team #8110 “WiSE,” Dix Hills Team #4137 “IslandBots,” East Setauket |
|
Control Award 1st Place: Control Award 2nd Place: Control Award 3rd Place: |
Team #4017 “RoboPandas,” Floral Park Team #12382 “Syosset Nebula,” Syosset Team #10738 “SBS Bears,” Stony Brook |
|
Collins Aerospace Innovate Award 1st Place: Collins Aerospace Innovate Award 2nd Place: Collins Aerospace Innovate Award 3rd Place: |
Team #13847 “At Least It Didn’t Explode,” Greenlawn Team #8108 “Theoretically Impossible,” Dix Hills Team #10738 “SBS Bears,” Stony Brook |
|
Connect Award 1st Place: Connect Award 2nd Place: Connect Award 3rd Place: |
Team #16145 “Sea Lion Techs,” Seaford Team #7407 “Team VEGA,” Huntington Team #4017 “RoboPandas,” Floral Park |
|
Think Award 1st Place: Think Award 2nd Place: Think Award 3rd Place: |
Team #8109 “RISE Robotics,” Huntington Station Team #13847 “At Least It Didn’t Explode,” Greenlawn Team #10419 “Syosset ELITE,” Syosset |
|
Top Ranked 1st Place: Top Ranked 2nd Place: Top Ranked 3rd Place: Top Ranked 4th Place: |
Team #10738 “SBS Bears,” Stony Brook Team #4017 “RoboPandas,” Floral Park Team #13847 “At Least It Didn’t Explode,” Greenlawn Team #12382 “Syosset Nebula,” Syosset |
|
* Inspire Award 1st Place: * Inspire Award 2nd Place: * Inspire Award 3rd Place: |
Team #10738 “SBS Bears,” Stony Brook Team #4017 “RoboPandas,” Floral Park Team #10419 “Syosset ELITE,” Syosset |
* The Inspire Award is the highest award that FIRST recognizes in the FIRST Tech Challenge.
The top three Compass Award winners were John Chae of Team #10419 “Syosset ELITE” from Syosset, Jack Chen of Team #4017 “RoboPandas” from Floral Park, and Andrew Woolsey of Team #10169 “The Flying Bricks” from Mineola.
The Dean’s List Finalists were also named: Alicia Amian of Team #7164 “FalconBots” from Locust Valley, Marlene McKinne of Team #8110 “WiSE” from Dix Hills, and Rohan Ghotra of Team #10169 “The Flying Bricks” from Mineola.
For more information, visit www.sbpli-lifirst.org.
###
** Award descriptions available upon request.
About FIRST®
Accomplished inventor Dean Kamen founded FIRST® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) in 1989 to inspire an appreciation of science and technology in young people. Based in Manchester, N.H., FIRST designs accessible, innovative programs to build self-confidence, knowledge, and life skills while motivating young people to pursue opportunities in science, technology, and engineering. With support from over 200 of the Fortune 500 companies and more than $50 million in college scholarships, the not-for-profit organization hosts the FIRST® Robotics Competition for students in Grades 9-12; FIRST® Tech Challenge for Grades 7-12; and FIRST® LEGO® League for Grades PreK-8. Gracious Professionalism® is a way of doing things that encourages high-quality work, emphasizes the value of others, and respects individuals and the community. To learn more about FIRST, go to www.firstinspires.org
About School-Business Partnerships of Long Island, Inc.
School-Business Partnerships of Long Island, Inc. (SBPLI) DBA FIRST® Long Island is a fully volunteer-run 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 1984 by Fred Breithut with the goal of developing partnerships between local high schools and businesses. His goal was to provide students with practical experience and curriculum development, while helping the business community develop its future workforce, which resulted in the formation of over 100 partnerships. In 1999, SBPLI brought the FIRST® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) to Long Island, which featured just eight FIRST® Robotics Competition high school teams. Since then, the Long Island Regional FIRST® Robotics Competition has grown to two events with over 80 teams competing each year. SBPLI also hosts Long Island’s annual FIRST® LEGO League Qualifying and Championship Tournaments and the FIRST® LEGO League Junior Expos, in which over 2,000 elementary and middle school students from Nassau and Suffolk Counties take part each year. In 2016, SBPLI added the FIRST® Tech Challenge to its roster of programs. For more information about the programs, or to learn how to become a sponsor, visit www.sbpli-lifirst.org.
