Newest Robotics Team Takes Region 7’s Board of Education By Storm
WinstedNew Hartford’s newest robotics team, the Antolini FIRST Lego Gearheads, presented their season’s work
to the Northwestern Regional 7’s Board of Education Wednesday night. The team was formed in
September to take on this year’s FIRST robotics challenge for 4th thru 8th grades, entitled Nature’s Fury.
The challenge involved three parts: coming up with an innovation that would address a natural disaster,
creation of an autonomous Lego robot to compete on a playing field that is the same for all teams in this
league, and a presentation of the team’s core values.
The team of six 4th and 5th graders chose ‘Flooding in Connecticut’ as their topic for the innovation
challenge, and designed a sophisticated emergency beacon system that would both warn residents of
impending disasters and communicate distress signals to the authorities. They researched the topic at
the Historic Society, got books from the Library, watched shows and documentaries, and pored over
FEMA flood maps. They met the local fire chief and discussed emergency preparedness with Kevin
Parsell, New Hartford’s emergency coordinator. They made Powerpoints and a test website and
sketched ideas on a professional drawing tablet.
The team and their robot will compete this Saturday at Career HS in New Haven, against many older and
more established teams. The Lego playing field features 20 themed disaster situations that the robot can
navigate and mitigate, earning as many points as it can in 2-1/2 minute matches. The team’s core values
include FIRST ‘s emphasis on Gracious Professionalism, Coopertition, and amplifying each other’s ideas.
The team made an impassioned plea Wednesday night for increased STEM education at the Middle
School and High School, noting that they will be enrolled at the High School before the newly elected
members of the BOE finish their terms. The team is grateful for the support they received from the Ann
Antolini Elementary School, Education Connections, and the Ferrarotti family. More information on the
FIRST Lego League may be found at www.usfirst.org .
A final word from the Antolini FIRST Lego Gearheads- Don’t drive through big puddles!