Red Hook robotics team wins award at world championships – Poughkeepsie Journal

The Red Hook High School robotics team took home an award after competing at the FIRST Tech Challenge Robotics World Championships. Wochit

Red Hook High School seniors Colin Pierce, Daniel Monarchi and Benjamin Kocik, members of the the Varsity Robot Drive Team, stand with robot Talos. The school's robotics team competed at the FIRST Tech Challenge Robotics World Championships this year.(Photo: Courtesy photo/Yvonne Pierce)

The Red Hook High School robotics team took home an award after competing at the FIRST Tech Challenge Robotics World Championships.

The RoboRaiders were"one of only a handful of teams from New York and among128 teams" fromthe U.S. and 10 foreign countries to compete at the event, which was held inSt. Louis, Missouri in late April, the Red Hook Central School District said in a statement.

The student-run team, which consists of 15 high school students,placed 30th out of 64 teams in their divisionand won a discretionary Judges'Award for outstanding community service.

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"The judges were particularly impressed by this team that interrupted their robot build for over a month in order to improve a motorized transportation solution for a pre-school student at their school with congenital mobility impairment," the district said.

Since September, the students have been working to design, buildand program a robot for this year's Velocity Vortex competition, according to the district. They also performed more than 800 hours of community service to promoteScience, Technology, Engineering,and Math (STEM) education.

"I've only been part of the RoboRaiders for a year, but already I've learned a great deal,"said freshman Alexandra Snyder. "Our team has worked so hard this season, and when we found out that we were going to the world championships, we were so excited. It was almost surreal."

"This is the best robot we have made, compared to the last four years' versions," said senior Ben Kocik. "To see the team advance to this level of competition is huge."

The team is coached by Red Hook High School science teachers Yvonne Pierce and Dwane Decker; IBM employees Stephen Kocik and Susan Zichittella are volunteer mentors.

"In my experience, (the robotics team)provides more exposure to STEM, leadership, teamworkand overall business than most single activities in college, while building a foundation for high school students to do the work themselves,"Zichittella said.

The RoboRaiders, fundedprimarily by local sponsors, is seeking donations to help offset the cost of attending the world championships. Donations can be made at http://www.GoFundMe.com/FTC6567.

Nina Schutzman: nschutzman@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-451-4518 Twitter: @pojonschutzman

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Red Hook robotics team wins award at world championships - Poughkeepsie Journal