Half Hollow Hills Robotics Team Lands $12K In New STEM Funding

DIX HILLS, NY — The Soaring Colts, the FIRST Robotics team representing Half Hollow Hills High School West and East, welcomed community members, sponsors and local leaders to a Robotics Open House on May 1, showcasing the innovation and teamwork behind their 2026 FIRST Robotics Competition season.

The team provided tours of its build room and demonstrated its competition robot, giving guests an inside look at the engineering, programming and problem-solving skills students developed throughout the season.

Representatives from Optimum recognized The Soaring Colts as a 2025 Optimum Innovator Award winner and announced a new $2,000 contribution to support the team’s Kenneth Vessey Scholarship program.

The scholarship was established in honor of mentor Kenneth R. Vessey Jr., who died in 2024. The program awards scholarships to two Long Island high school seniors involved in FIRST robotics teams who plan to pursue careers in STEM fields.

New York State Assemblyman Steve Stern also joined Optimum employees during the event to present a $10,000 grant through New York State STEM funding. The funding will help support the team’s robot build and competition season next year.

Last year, the team earned the Inspiration Award in the 2025 Optimum Innovator Award program and received a $2,000 prize. The award recognized the team’s efforts to inspire and support STEM education, including the creation of the Kenneth R. Vessey Jr. Scholarship program.

Optimum has sponsored The Soaring Colts for the past eight FIRST Robotics Competition seasons, contributing more than $10,000 to support the team’s continued growth and success.