Pictured from left are Jason Martino, Gwynneth LaMarche, Aidan Uvanni, Ryan Payne, Devavrat Nopany and Maysara Elazzazi.
(Utica, NY – Dec. 2013) After three seasons of demonstrations, workshops and lobbying, a little basement based team in New Hartford has established a new STEM event that will open up high school level robotics to more local students than ever before. RoboSpartans FTC4082, in cooperation with CNYFIRST, SUNYIT and Hudson Valley FTC, will host the 1st Annual Central New York FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) Qualifying Tournament in the SUNYIT Wildcat Field House, on Sunday, Dec. 8 from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Twenty-four teams from the New York State and beyond will compete in paired alliances during a series of fast-paced matches of agility and strategy. This year’s season theme is “Block Party!” allows students to showcase the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) and teamwork skills needed to build, program and compete in FIRST Tech Challenge robotics.
The “Block Party!” at SUNYIT is the first qualifying event for the Hudson Valley FTC Region covering over 40 Counties in New York State. Top teams from the Utica event will meet with winners from 4 other season qualifiers for a Championship event at Pace University, White Plains, on Feb. 16, 2014. Championship teams can then qualify to move on to a multi-day Super Regional event of in March followed by the annual FIRST® World Championship in April, where 128 teams from a dozen countries meet in St. Louis.
Last season, the RoboSpartans were the 4th Place Finalists for the World Championship’s top trophy, the Inspire Award.
The Sunday event is free and open to the public from 10 a.m. through the final awards ceremony at approximately 6 p.m. The FTC tournament will be preceded on Saturday by the Fourth Annual FLL@SUNYIT Championship for 9 to 14 year olds participating in FIRST® LEGO League.
For more information, contact: the RoboSpartans at RoboSpartans4082@gmail.com or 315-732-1001.