The Great Neck South High School Robotics Team won two prestigious awards at the Smoky Mountains FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics Regional Competition, held at the University of Tennessee from March 21-24.
The South High team, known as “Rebellion,” traveled to this regional event to compete against 50 of the best teams in the country. Their robot performed very well, advancing to the playoff round of competition. Additionally, the team earned two top awards in recognition of their commitment to safety and outstanding planning practices.
The South High team is the recipient of the Safety Award, sponsored by Underwriters Laboratories, which celebrates the team that progresses beyond safety fundamentals by using innovative ways to eliminate or protect against hazards.
“We teach our team that safety drives productivity and is the foundation for all areas of their lives, including future employment opportunities,” said faculty advisor John Motchkavitz.
The Rebellion is also the recipient of the Entrepreneurship Award, sponsored by Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield and Byers, an award recognizing a team that has developed the framework for a comprehensive business plan to scope, manage, and achieve team objectives.
The FIRST Robotics Competition is a worldwide event with more than 6000 teams competing from over 50 different countries. The team’s next competition will be the SBPLI Regional at Hofstra University in April.
Robotics faculty advisors are business/technology department head John Motchkavitz, business/technology teachers Matthew Corrigan and Michael Passuello, and math/computer programming teacher Andrea Zinn.
