On October 16, students from 17 participating high schools — including three pre-rookie teams — took part in the Sixth Annual Deer Park Invitational, a postseason robotics competition sponsored by the School Business Partnerships of Long Island, Inc. (SBPLI), FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) and the Deer Park Union Free School District. The daylong competition fostered goodwill amongst the students, working together as they solved intricate problems and engaged in friendly competition.

Parents and school administrators were on hand to cheer on the competitors. Winners of the invitational were the three-team alliance of Team 271 from Bay Shore, Team 545 from Island Trees and Team 514 from Miller Place. Finalists included Team 884 from Malverne, Team 533 from Lindenhurst and Team 1340 from John Adams (Queens).

At the event, students programmed their robots, some weighing as much as 135 pounds, to compete on a 27-by-54-foot playing field, attempting to earn points by collecting soccer balls in goals. Additional bonus points were earned for each robot suspended in air and not touching the field at the end of the match.

"We planned this event not only as a competition about the design and building of sophisticated robots, but as an opportunity to create an atmosphere whereby students can also develop maturity, professionalism, teamwork and mentoring skills, thereby enriching their lives and pointing them in the direction of an engineering career. We were not disappointed," said Janet Anderson, Acting Director of SBPLI

For more information, please visit www.sbpli-lifirst.org.