Manchester police partner with FIRST Robotics competition – WMUR Manchester

MANCHESTER, N.H.

More students than ever are taking part in the FIRST Robotics Competition in Manchester, which has become the only district in the country to get all of its schools involved.

And now, the Manchester Police Athletic League is becoming the first police department in the country to add FIRST Robotics to its list of activities for children.

"This is our robot, and this is our first year doing it, and it's a lot of fun," said Parkside Middle School student Helena Jackson, as her team's robot maneuvered through a course. "I think it's fun because we get to be together."

The students on the Parkside team said they are new to the robotics craze. They spent about two months and a lot of hard work on their robot to be a part of the first-ever MPAL robotics event Wednesday.

The event started as a challenge from New Hampshire inventor and engineer Dean Kamen to have police add the competition to their athletic leagues.

"The officers love it. The kids love it," said Kamen, who created the competition. "I think it'll help create a more unified community."

Mayor Ted Gatsas and Police Chief Nick Willard answered the challenge.

"We're honored to be part of the program, and we're really delighted that Dean Kamen chose us," Willard said.

"We were the first school district to give students credit in the FIRST work that they were doing, so it's been pretty exciting," Gatsas said.

Alongside the boxing, wrestling and cooking classes at MPAL, future inventors also have a place to interact with police. Those involved are calling it a win-win, with more exposure for the police to get to know the community and more activities for children who are interested in technology.

"If they want to go into engineering, they'll have more experience," Jackson said.

WEBVTT ICS TO THE LIST OF ACTIVITIES FOR KID. WMUR'S CHERISE LECLERC HAS THIS.>> TWO, ONE, GO.>> PUSHING BUTTONS, MANEUVERING THROUGH THE COURSE. STUDENTS IN MANCHESTER AND OTHERS ARE TRYING THEIR HAND AT A GROWING TREND, FIRST ROBOTICS.>> THIS IS A ROBOT AND IT'S A LOT OF FUN AND I THINK IT'S REALLY FUN BECAUSE WE GET TO BE TOGETHER.>> STUDENTS LIKE HELENA AND THEY'RE KNEW TO THE ROBOTICS CRAZE, SPENDING ABOUT TWO MONTHSAND A LOT OF HARD WORK ON THE ROBOT TO BE A PART OF THE FIRST EVER MANCHESTER POLICE ATHLETIC LEAGUE ROBOTIC EVENT. IT STARTED AS A CHALLENGE FROM NEW HAMPSHIRE AND ENGINEER DEAN CAYMAN TO HAVE THIS KIND OF EVENT.>> THE OFFICERS LOVE IT. THE KIDS LOVE IT. I THINK IT WILL HELP CREATE A MORE UNIFIED COMMUNITY.>> THEY ANSWERED THE CHALLENGE.>> WE'RE HONORED TO BE A PART OFTHE PROGRAM AND DELIGHTED THAT WE WERE CHOSEN.>> WE WERE THE FIRST SCHOOL DISTRICT TO GIVE STUDENTS CREDITIN THE FIRST WORK THAT THEY WEREDOING. SO, IT'S BEEN PRETTY EXCITING.>> NOW ALONGSIDE THE BOXING, WRESTLING AND COOKING CLASSES HERE, THE FUTURE INVENTORS HAVE A PLACE TO INTERACT WITH POLICE,TOO. THOSE INVOLVED ARE CALLING IT A WIN-WIN, MORE EXPOSURE FOR THE POLICE TO GET IT KNOW THE COMMUNITY AND MORE ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN TECH.

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Manchester police partner with FIRST Robotics competition - WMUR Manchester