In their rookie debut, the Copiague Middle School Robotics Team, coached by Stephen Phillips, advanced to the For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) New York State Championship Tournament.
Competing against 65 other middle and elementary school teams at Berner Middle School in Massapequa, the Copiague team was honored with 1st Place in Spirit at the Long Island FIRST LEGO League Qualifier Tournament, which qualified them for the School-Business Partnerships of Long Island (SBPLI) FIRST LEGO League State Championship Tournament, which will take place February 28 at Longwood High School. The Team Spirit Award goes to the team that most enthusiastically demonstrates a commitment to getting others to see how accessible, fun, and rewarding science and technology can be.
In preparation for the tournament, the ten-student team built and programmed a robot built with LEGOs and created a research project on this year’s theme of gaining efficiency in transportation systems. During the qualifier, the student-built robot had to perform various different challenges on a 4’x8’ field for which they gathered points. In addition to their robot’s performance, the students were judged in a multitude of categories, included teamwork and professionalism.
According to its website, FIRST LEGO League is an international program for children which combines a hands-on, interactive robotics program with a sports-like atmosphere. FIRST LEGO League International introduces children around the world in elementary and middle schools to the fun and experience of solving real-world problems by applying math, science, and technology.
Congratulations to Drew Marino, Isaac Garcia, Brandon Simoncik, Sebastian Siwik, Anthony Guella, Mark Norman, Steve Szabo, Peter McKenzie, Collin Fuchs, David Grinthal, and Dylan Chen for this remarkable accomplishment.
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