With school districts managing rising costs and tighter budgets, important programs face cuts or elimination. School-Business Partnerships of Long Island, Inc. (SBPLI) is highlighting the importance of middle school and high school robotics programs with its support of the Half Hollow Hills Invitational. The post-season robotics competition is to be held in the gymnasium at Half Hollow Hills High School West on Saturday, November 17 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

School robotics programs immerse youngsters in the science of physics and the field of engineering. They provide an enjoyable, engaging learning environment and they enhance problem solving skills, cooperation and teamwork.

The Invitational is designed to showcase the benefits of robotics programs on students, schools and their communities. Residents, teachers and administrators from the Half Hollow Hills School District and other Long Island school districts are invited to attend.

“The competition is not just about the design and building of sophisticated robots. These students also develop maturity, professionalism, teamwork and mentoring skills that enrich their lives,” said FRC Director Ginny Greco. “Many of our students develop an affinity for their science and math courses, and go on to study engineering, technology or science in college.”

Participating teams will be using the robots they built for the 2012 Long Island Regional FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) competition, which was held at Hofstra University in March. At the event, students will program their robots, some weighing as much as 120 pounds, to compete on a 27-by-54-foot playing field with bridges, attempting to earn points by scoring as many basketballs into the hoops as possible. Additional points will be earned for balancing robots on the bridges.

Twenty-three teams are scheduled to compete this year: Bay Shore, Brentwood, Central Islip, Center Moriches, Cold Spring Harbor, Comsewogue, Connetquot, Francis Lewis, Great Neck South, Hauppauge, Half Hollow Hills, Hicksville, Island Trees, Lindenhurst, Long Island City, Malverne, Miller Place, Patchogue-Medford, Plainview-Old Bethpage, Port Washington, Sachem North, Seaford andSmithtown. Center Moriches and Seaford will compete as a pre-rookie teams (robots will be provided for them at the event).

“We also would like to invite other potential rookie teams to join us, work with veteran teams, and have the opportunity to drive a robot to give them a feel for the program which they would not otherwise have,” Ms. Greco said.

For more information on the Half Hollow Hills Invitational, or to register a team for competition, click here or call Julian Aptowitz or Christian Mirchel of Half Hollow Hills High School at (631) 592-3200. For more information about SBPLI, visit www.sbpli.org.