Lego Robotics at Springs School started its new season and like last year there are two teams: the Lightning Bots coached by Laura Foti and Erik Schwab and the Thunder Bots, coached by Danielle Hamilton and Tracey Frazier.
Team members and coaches had been meeting after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays in preparation for a practice competition on Saturday that gave teams a small taste of what the real competition will be like in February. The focus was on the robot and coding “missions,” or tasks, to complete in two and a half minutes. Each mission has a specific point value. In February, the focus will be on coding and robot missions as well other projects that involve public speaking.
The bus departed from school at 5:45 a.m. bound for Central Boulevard Elementary School in Bethpage. This early departure definitely shows the dedication of parents, students, and coaches. Registration began at 7:30 a.m. followed by the opening ceremonies at 8. Teams had four opportunities for their robot to compete and receive feedback from a referee. When not competing, teams were given time to practice and make any adjustments to their robot and its codes in the school’s cafeteria. where mission boards were set up.
Both teams did very well. The Lighting Bots’ best score for the day was 155 points out of 500 and the Thunder Bots’ best score was 115 points out of 500. Students on both teams said they had a good time and it was a fun and exciting day. They enjoyed seeing kids from schools all across Long Island. The teams will now use what they learned to prepare for February’s qualifying competition. If they do well in this event, they could be on their way to an international competition just like the 2022 Lightning Bots, who competed against kids from all over the world in Worcester, Mass. Time to practice!
By Saoirse Quinn and Lucca Trentacoste, Grade 6