The Locust Valley High School robotics team “Kuiper” emerged from two days of competitive FIRST Technology Challenge qualifiers at Sewanhaka High School on Jan. 17 and 18 with the first place Reach Award and the team’s first Inspire Award win in a decade.
Kuiper team members have spent months building and tinkering with their robotic contraption to achieve this year’s build of scooping up and throwing plastic balls into goals. They repaired their robot on the fly as a team, ensuring that it survived a bent chassis, and made it all the way to the semifinals on Saturday.
The highly coveted Inspire Award is given to a team that displays professionalism and shares its experiences, enthusiasm and knowledge with other teams, community members and the judges. The Reach Award celebrates a team that has introduced and recruited new people into FIRST.
The team is looking forward to the championships in March, but first will host qualifiers at Locust Valley High School on Jan. 31 and Feb. 1.