Pierson Robotics Club Set to Debut Ball-Shooting Masterpiece

SOUTHAMPTON, NY-The Pierson High School robotics team is ready to debut their new creation.

For weeks, the kids have been working hard to create and program a new robot that will compete in the FIRST Robotics Competition in March.

According to its website, the mission of FIRST is to “inspire young people to be science and technology leaders, by engaging them in exciting mentor-based programs that build science, engineering, and technology skills, that inspire innovation, and that foster well-rounded life capabilities including self-confidence, communication, and leadership.”

Dean Kamen, founder of the program, said, on the site, that his vision is clear: “To transform our culture by creating a world where science and technology are celebrated and where young people dream of becoming science and technology leaders.”

FIRST, which stands For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology, was founded in1989 to inspire young people’s interest and participation in science and technology.

The Pierson team, comprised mostly of sophomores, has their sights on continuing a winning tradition.

At the competition last year, the team won the Xerox Creativity Award and in 2014 they earned the Engineering and Inspiration Award, a release stated.

This year, students’ designed and constructed an aluminum robot, which features Mars rover wheels and a wheel-based shooter system. The students believe the design will allow their robot to easily maneuver around a field of obstacles and shoot balls at targets as high as 8-feet and at ground level.

“We have a very young team this year,” said Clint Schulman, adviser. “They have worked hard and spent a lot of time discussing strategy, testing wheels and motors and writing code. They are looking forward to the competition.”

Photo Caption: Pierson Robotics team members Patrick Lucyk and Catherine Spolarich constructed a robot as part of the FIRST Robotics Competition building phase.

Photo courtesy of Sag Harbor School District.