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, 375 Wolf Hill Road on Saturday, November 16 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 SBPLI’s Executive Director, Joani Madarash. “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 2013 Long Island Regional FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) competition, which was held at Hofstra University in April. 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 pyramids, attempting to earn points by shooting as many flying discs into their goals as possible during the two-minute, 15-second match. Discs thrown into higher goals scores Alliances more points. Matches will end with robots attempting to climb up pyramids located near the middle of the field.

The following teams are scheduled to compete so far: Baldwin, Bay Shore, Central Islip, Center Moriches, Cold Spring Harbor, Comsewogue, Connetquot, Gill St. Bernard’s School (Gladstone, NJ), Great Neck South, Hauppauge, Half Hollow Hills, Hicksville, Island Trees, Long Island City, Malverne, Miller Place, North Shore, Patchogue-Medford, Plainview-Old Bethpage, Port Washington, Sachem North, and Seaford.Registration is still ongoing.

To register, click here.