Written By The Suffolk TimesNORTH FORK, NY — For the third time in three years, local students are making their hometown proud as they soar to success in the robotics realm, heading to the world championships.
Christine Schade, co-advisor to Southold/Greenport Team RICE 870 along with Bob Gammon, described the team's unprecedented success at the School-Business Partnership of Long Island's Regional FIRST Robotics competition, held at Hofstra University in Hempstead last weekend.
According to SBPLI's website, the organization was founded by Frederick Breithut in 1984, with a vision of creating partnerships between schools, businesses and community organizations to "embrace school curriculum that inspires students to pursue careers in technology, engineering and science."
To that end, in 1999, SBPLI partnered with FIRST – For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology — a national program that mentors students to become leaders in technology-related industries. The programs hosted on Long Island by SBPLI include the SBPLI Long Island Regional FIRST Robotics competition, the site said.
The Southold/Greenport team made history last weekend; this year marks the first time the team has won two regional competitions in one season — opening the door for the team to travel, during spring break, to the FIRST Robotics World Championships in Detroit, MI to compete with teams from around the United States — and the world.
The competition takes place from April 24 through April 27.
Last weekend, Team RICE 870's dedicated business team also received the entrepreneurship award for the business plan they wrote, another first.
"This has been a wonderful year," said Schade.
This year's robot, she said, was created to participate in a game called "Destination Deep Space;" the robot was designed to put hatch panels, or discs with velcro, and cargo, which are playground balls, into a rocket and cargo ship in the middle of a playing field.
"It is a space themed game that has a couple of different components," Schade said.
The students, she said, during the first 15 seconds of the game, experience a "sandstorm," where the driver's station is covered with a curtain so the kids cannot see the playing field. The robot either has to drive autonomously by computer control or by camera — and the kids can also drive, or control, the robot just by camera. After that, she said, kids take control of robot and perform the tasks that are needed fill the cargo shop and rocket, and complete all challenges.
Last weekend's regional win, the second of the season, followed another shining moment at the Finger Lakes Regional at the Rochester Institute of Technology a few weeks earlier, Schade said.
Being the first team to win two regionals, Schade said, was an extraordinary experience. "I can't even describe it," she said. "It was so gratifying. This is a fabulous group of kids. We had a feeling this year, right out of the chute in September or October, that if any year was going to be our year — it's going to be this one."
The 33 students who comprise the team, with 14 from Greenport and 19 from Southold, are a dedicated group of kids "who have sacrificed so much," working until late at night and on the weekends to build the robot, Schade said.
The team's business mentor Judi Fouchet, Schade added, also worked with the students to develop the business plan that helped them to take home the Entrepreneurship Award. The business plan is critical because it's an action plan to assure the sustainability of the team moving into the future from both the financial and human resources perspectives, Schade said.
Looking ahead to the World Championships, Schade said, "We are so ready." The team that drives the robot is the same team from last year and brings their experience onto the proverbial playing field, Schade said. "This year, everything is in place," she said.
Schade and Gammon also thanked the team's mentors, including Eddie Chilton of Beechwood Sand and Gravel, Dan Goodwin from Miller Environmental Group, Kim Chilton, and Fouchet.
Schade said the team has the full support of the Southold School District — with a new, dedicated space, a robotics room, created as part of the technology room — as well as the community.
While some teams have big name sponsors such as Boeing or NASA, Schade said, Southold's list of sponsors is one of the longest, dotted with dedicated local businesses that are unflagging in their support.
Of that outpouring of hometown pride, Schade said, "It's just incredible, and the kids feel it."
While some teams have their pieces milled out at a machine shop, the Southold team cuts every piece of aluminum, drills every hole, she said. "We are so proud," Schade said.
This year, a new fundraising effort, "Shoot for the Stars," has commenced, to help carry the kids to the World Championships. The name was created to tie in with this year's space-themed robot, Schade said.
Individuals can purchase "stars," for $5 that they can inscribe, which will be displayed at schools and in the windows of local merchants, "so kids can see this visual sign of community support," Schade said.
Many of the team members also devote time to sports, theater, and other extra-curricular activities, and that's what makes their fierce dedication to the robotics program even more special, Schade said.
"We couldn't be more proud of this group. There's a lot of positive energy," Schade said. "Everyone has high hopes for this team — so we'll see where it takes us."
By Lisa Finn
April 2, 2019
