Massapequa 'Robo Chiefs' Take Part in National, Global Competitions

Courtesy Massapequa Schools

Massapequa High School Robotics is making its mark nationwide and internationally as teams 9458A and 9458C, both called “Robo Chiefs,” head to the CREATE Robotics Open National Competition in Council Bluffs, Iowa, April 7-9 and team 9458A advances to its second consecutive VEX Robotics World Championship in Louisville, Kentucky, April 15-18. Team 9458A earned the opportunity to compete on a global scale, against 800 teams from 26 countries, after winning the Southern New York State Championship held at East Rockaway High School in March.

Both tournaments are VEX Robotics competitions and are designed to challenge middle and high school students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) to compete in an engineering problem in the form of a game. Teams use the VEX Robotics Design System to build robots designed to score the most possible points.

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This is the second world competition for 9458A team members Adam C., Roberto D., Sarah G. and Shane M., all juniors, and the first for team members Corinne M., a senior, and Ben C. and Christian N., both juniors.

Members of team 9458C, who will compete with team 9458A in the national competition, include seniors Shannon D. and Christina D., sophomores Dan F., Joe M., Andrew M., Justin P. and James P., and freshman Sean M.

“The teams’ success is attributed to their hard work in the design, testing and redesign of the robot,” said coach Brian Vanek. “The students spend over 100 hours working on them throughout the year, plus many hours at home researching information. The fact that they will compete against teams from around the country and the world is a testament to their dedication and teamwork, and the exceptional job they are doing this year.”

In addition to becoming tournament champions at the Southern New York State Championship, Massapequa also became tournament champions at the Freeport Robotics Competition and at the Schreiber Vikings VRC Invitational Competition, and won the Judges Award at the Adelphi VRC Qualifier and the Design Award at the Jericho Hawks VRC 2014 Skyrise Competition.

To steer students to success, Massapequa School District introduces robotics as early as elementary school in the district’s academically gifted program, Magnet. In middle school, every seventh- and eighth-grade student studies robotics in their technology education classes. Robotics clubs at the middle and high school levels are offered during the school year and a one-week camp for middle schoolers, coached by Vanek, is offered in the summer. The high school level also offers robotics as part of the Principles of Engineering course and the Product Design and Engineering (Robotics) course, and is introduced in the Digital Electronics course.

According to Susan Thompson, chairperson of Career & Technology Education for the district, many students take the steps to join the robotics teams by taking advanced courses beginning with Design & Drawing for Production in ninth grade. The course teaches students to draw in a 3D modeling program and print design prototypes on a 3D printer, which can be used to create parts and build the robot.

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