ROBOTICS TEAM THINKS ITS WAY TO VICTORY, HELPED BY $5,000 O&R GRANT; SUFFERN HS ‘SPORT OF THE MIND’ PLAYERS VERSED IN SCIENCE, PERSUASION

It takes a lot more than a knack for robot building to become a successful member of Suffern High School’s Robotics Team #7486.

A love of science and scientific method are a must but there’s much more. For example, a keen understanding of project goals and objectives and their applications is just as critical as a comfort-level with working in teams. Cultivating an aptitude for networking with other teams, and a passion for persuasion to attract more student interest in robotics are also key. Creativity, resourcefulness and resolve also are necessary. Developing a good sense of humor doesn’t hurt, either.

That’s’ why O&R has donated $5,000 to help support the year-around efforts of Suffern High School’s “sport of the mind” players in their project development, construction and competition.

Student inventors from Suffern Robotics which was founded in 2007, one of the first area high school robotics teams, have participated in dozens of local and regional competitions annually, and have completed in the World Championships five times.

The competition requires that students, within a limited time frame, work with professional engineering mentors to design a robot that solves a problem using a kit of parts and a standard set of rules. Once these high school inventors create the robot, the teams participate in competitions that measure the effectiveness of each robot, the power of collaboration and the determination of the students.

The competitions are designed to inspire a lifelong love of learning that is critical to persevere in today’s ever-changing workforce and to develop innovators, technology leaders and creative problem solvers for the future.

  grant, robotics, robotics team, science, suffern high school