Javits Mar 7 09 Layout Maps

FLL Javits Update for March 7

Feb. 23, 2009

Two weeks away from the big event. This is the first in a series of updates.

Check my blog for latest updates.
http://normsrobotics.blogspot.com/

A response to this email is a confirmation that you will still be competing.
Put your school in the subject area and reply.
If you have to modify your team name, coach or other info do so in this response. It will be your last chance.
You will not receive the next update with very important info if I do not get a response. Don’t make me send Vinny over to your school.

We are not alone
With the massive 3 day extravaganza at Javits, we are in new territory this year and things will be very hectic. Lots of people and traffic. The space is massive and not as contained as Riverbank. Many will be there for the FRC event. So there may be some wrinkles. It is easy for kids to wander away, so make sure everyone knows how to navigate the space before they are on the loose. Most important: locate the bathrooms (and the food, not necessarily in that order.)
Of course, you can bring your own – food, that is, not bathroom.

Schedule, parking, food, directions, etc. at http://nycnjfirst.njit.edu/nyc_fll.html
Also posted on my blog.

Program Guide
I am finishing up work on the program. and have included the changes you asked for. If I don’t hear from you by Wed. Feb. 25, we are going with what you see (see list below.)


Pre-Assignment of Pit Tables
We are assigning pit tables in the order of team numbers. That info will be in the next update.

I will make an adjustment for schools that have 2 teams. If you are a school with multiple teams going to Javits please email me so I can keep track.

Schedules
We are efforting to get your schedule to you in advance. This may involve an individual email to each of you with an attachment. We may also include a map. While there is no guarantee we can accomplish this, I cannot send you this information if you do not respond to this email.

When you arrive
Check in at the registration desk. (I will be there with Teri Bader.)

Immediately send your robot for robot inspection to the admin area behind the game tables.

The lower numbered pit table teams will be first up for research and technical presentation. We will try to have teams at pit tables 1-21 complete tech/research before the opening ceremonies begin at 9:30.

IMPORTANT: If you feel you cannot get there by 8AM let me know ASAP and I will assign you higher numbered pit table. If you can get there early, let me know and we’ll give you a lower numbered pit. There is an advantage to getting the presentations out of the way early in the day.

Tours on Friday March 6
Reminder that we are offering tours on Friday March 6 for schools that want to visit. Things are much less hectic that day. We know you will be busy with final prep but if you had other kids and teachers who want to come on Friday let me know.

Field Set-up Kit disposal
As usual, we will be giving away the kits we use. We have about 19 available. You must pre-arrange this with me. First come first serve based on your response to this email with a note you are interested.

Your scores and team ranking
We do not keep these so it is up to you to get that info before you leave. If you don’t get it from the screen, go ask someone at the scoring table.

Your evaluation sheets from the judges
These are available so make sure to get them. I’m not yet sure where they will be but check at the scoring table.

Norm
Questions? Email or call

917-992-3734


Teams lists by boroughs

STATEN ISLAND

199 IS 24 SI Knights of 24 Raymond CottrellJane Frangos
202 IS 24 SI Blast Bots Raymond CottrellJane Frangos
1335 IS 27 SI Mustangs 1 Bryan Kilgallen
1341 Micro Bots Patrick Coen
1667 IS 34 SI Stell Talons Joseph Buro/Ann Verderber/
Howie Leventhal
1784 St. Clare Planeteers #3 Mary Lee
1956 IS 75 SI Panthers 3 Donny SwansonAndrew Grandner
2179 IS 72 SI V Team Randi Huss/Colasanto diSpigna
2380 StatenIslandTech Tech Knows Steve Raile/Mike Siegel
2386 StatenIslandTech Tech Knights Steve Raile/Mike Siegel
2708 PS 57 SI Robotics Team Patricia Lockhart
5119 IS 49 SI CyberSoldiers Carol Obler/Francesco Portelos
5721 NYC Parks Park Wizards Lisa Brooks

BRONX

109 PS/IS 123 Technados Chris Gooding Joanne Urena
523 PS/MS 194 Rising Tigers Christine Bernabei/Cynthia Khadaran
584 MS181/Pablo Casals Climate Crusaders Terry Buchalter
853 PS 121 Storm Throopers Kathy Bormann/Jean Czarniecki
895 BX Latin MS Architecti Eddie Branchaud
901 MS101 Maritime The Electros Elizabeth Tremberger/Gina DeMatteo
1172 MS 302 MS302 Tech Squad Sharon Shoatz
1636 ESMT IS 190 Team X Maribeth Whitehouse
1739 Kezner Acad@IS192 Ro-bit-ics Nicole HavelDonna Kinford
2266 PS 76Bennington 76ers Russell Heath
2545 Globe School GLOBE Masters Paul Riter
2656 IS 98 Herman Ridder Ridder Kids Harold Smith
5909 PS 103 RoboBeez Jarret Jackob/Linda Matos
5910 PS 103 RoboStingers Cathy Daly/Mike Murphy
6182 Archimedes Acad. The Boogie Down Bots Justin Duffy
6368 PS 153 Robotronics Michelle Solomon/M Lee Hollman
6388 Michelangelo/MS144 144 GoBots Victoria Lowe/Gregory Defoe
7509 PS 108Philip J. Abinanti Energy All-Stars Vanessa Jones
7780 IS 125 Henry Hudson Lego Explorers Nunez/Owens/Afflick

QUEENS

232 MS 67Q Globorobo Ruta Dave
275 Cambria Center Cambria Warbots Sheryl Liles
778 MS216/George Ryan Ryan Lions Peter Xanthus
1215 P.S. 139Q RoboTech Yvonne Shortt
1836 IS 119 Q TopGearz Chris Dudin
2491 RMS/IS192 Robo Fusion 192 A Eric Greene
4764 Resurrection Ascension RA Titans Janna Valente
7417 Louis ArmstrongIS227 Lamchops A Richard Akalski
7418 Louis ArmstrongIS227 Lamchops B David Mabrey
7756 IS 119 Q SuperBotz Chris Dudin


BROOKLYN

490 St. Edmund Nerd Herd Christine Zaremba
1462 PS 372 K Tropic Thunder Rita Fasano/Vicki Holland
Haiva Albuliwi
1463 PS 372 K Thunder Shocks Rita Fasano/Vicki Holland
Haiva Albuliwi
1775 Packer Collegiate Packer Climate Inst. Maureen Reilly
1827 PS193 Gil Hodges NXT 193 Carol Geier/Cynthia McGinty/Stacy Solomon
1925 IS 318 Blood, Sweat, and Gears! Russ Holstein
1979 PS58 Carroll School The Thermolinas Keith Wynne
2019 PS 257K Minds at Work Javier Reyes/Edwin Hernandez
2393 PS 11K Mission 11 Rasheda Lyons/Ilya Brutman
2707 PS21/Crispus Attucks Panthers Carla Arnold/Keeshan Williams
3076 Benjamin Banneker KV-Bot Imani Fischer
3475 Arthur S. Somers MS Rising Star John Uske/Clair Vassell-Williams
3575 PS233/LangstonHughes The Extreme Engineers Dawne Jokinsky
3951 PS399/Stanley Clarke Knights Sharon Holiday
3958 MS 267K Magicbot Neil Abell
3991 MS 88 K Masterminds A Andy Singh
3993 MS 88 K Masterminds C Andy Singh
5762 MS 51K Generals James Hoffman


MANHATTAN

363 Think Robot, LLC Think Robot Tom Hershner
425 Columbia SecondSchl RoboCubs Andrew Stillman
1730 Trevor Day Little Dragons Steve Schechter
Amanda Picciotto
1910 MS 328 Robotigers Beth Pollak
3057 PS/MS 108 Time 4 Change Alicia Sotiropoulos
5496 Brearley School Brearley Beavers Luigi Cicala
Annie Cheung-Livhits
5624 TheAndersonSchl/PS334 AMS Dragons Judy Kunze
6425 Frederick Douglass FDA LEGORaiders Danielle Nunez
6426 Frederick Douglass FDA JR LEGO Raiders Megan Wasserman
6528 PS123/MahaliaJackson MJ Legos J.King,Jr./
Levette Alexander
7175 LREI LREI Squires Sherezada Acosta
7177 LREI LREI Knights Sherezada Acosta
7836 Gateway Schools The Weather Savers Raphael Abrams

Javits Info Update

Posted at: http://nycnjfirst.njit.edu/nyc_fll.html

2008 - 2009 New York City FIRST LEGO League

This year’s New York City FIRST LEGO League Championship is being held at the Jacob Javits Convention Center on Saturday, March 7th as part of New York City’s FIRST Mega-Celebration.

Seventy-two winning teams selected from among nearly 200 that competed at five borough FLL qualifying tournaments will be in-line for New York City’s top honors.

The 2009 New York City FIRST LEGO League Championship is free and open to the public. Bring family and friends and be part of the New York City’s celebration of kids working smart in science and technology!

Venue Address:

Jacob Javits Convention Center
655 West 34th Street
New York, NY 10001

Need directions to the venue? Click here
For parking information Click here
For public transportation information Click here

Event Schedule*:

8:00am - 9:00am Registration, Robot Inspection
8:15am Research and Technical Presentations begin
8:45am Coaches' Meeting
9:30am - 10:00am Opening Ceremonies
10:00am - 12:00pm Competition Rounds
12:00pm-12:45pm Lunch
12:45pm-3:00PM Competition Rounds
3:00pm - 3:30pm Award Ceremony
3:30pm - 3:45pm Team Parade

*These times are approximate, depending on how quickly we progress through the matches. Announcements will be made throughout the day to keep you informed.

Food Services:

A public café will be set up within our New York City FIRST hall at the Javits Center. Vendors and seating will be available in the café area. Food may be brought into the venue.

For a list of food concessions with the Javits Center, please click HERE.
For a list of local restaurants, please click HERE

Contact:

For additional information, please contact Mark Sharfshteyn at msharf@optonline.net or (347) 739-1836.

Junior FIRST LEGO League

by Keith Wynne

On January 11th, 2009, 10 teams participated in the Junior FIRST LEGO League Expo at CCNY. The teams came from all over the Tri-State Area and the Five Boroughs of New York City. There were over 100 children and their families who participated. Projects covered an array of topics on this year's theme, "Climate Connections." Good times were had by all. The children had an opportunity to observe the FLL Manhattan Tournament. At the Jacob Javitz FIRST Expo on March 7th, 2009, 7 teams will share their presentations and models with the FIRST Community.

(See link below)

http://picasaweb.google.com/wynne.keith/2009_01_11?authkey=Op-nyp-fWDI#5295293643105842466

Amadou Ly in NY Times with quotes by Kris Breton

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/16/nyregion/16amadou.html?_r=1&ref=nyregion

February 16, 2009
Facing Graduation, Not Deportation
By NINA BERNSTEIN

Three years ago, Amadou Ly was a shy East Harlem high school student with a secret. He quickly became front-page news when his robotics team unexpectedly won a spot in the national finals in Atlanta, but he could not board a plane because he lacked government identification.

Born in Senegal, Amadou had been abandoned in New York at 14 by his mother, who wanted him to try to finish an American education. At 18, he was facing deportation as an illegal immigrant, with no way to attend the college where he had been admitted.

But by the time he arrived at the robotics competition by train, the response to an article in The New York Times had unleashed a news media whirlwind that brought members of Congress, Hollywood stars and volunteer lawyers to his side. They persuaded immigration authorities to drop deportation proceedings and grant him a foreign student visa to stay and study in the United States.

Now that happy ending has been eclipsed by another: Mr. Ly secured a juvenile green card just before his 21st birthday this month, thanks to his legal helpers and obscure changes in New York State law that extended the age of eligibility.

He is on track to graduate in June from Kingsborough Community College in Brooklyn, after struggling to pay tuition because as a foreign student he could not work more than 20 hours a week.

And he has already begun a very American career, winning parts in two independent films and a music video, and even an offer of a small role in an episode of “Law & Order.”

He had to turn down that television show last year, he said, because of the work limits imposed by his visa. But now, as a legal permanent resident, “I can work as much as I want, and I can travel,” Mr. Ly exulted last week, between college classes in Brooklyn and a film rehearsal in Harlem.

In April, he plans a trip back to Senegal, his first chance to see his grandmother since he came to the United States at 13. But he will not stay too long.

“I feel like I belong in this country,” he said, recalling how he longed to vote in the presidential election. “As soon as I have the next opportunity to become a citizen, I will take it.”

Mr. Ly (pronounced Lee) originally wanted to become a computer engineer. But he changed plans after he took an acting class in an effort to improve his public speaking style, and he visited producers at Universal Studios in Hollywood. He switched his college major to performing arts.

Amy Meselson, the Legal Aid lawyer who first took his case, said she was initially worried about his new ambitions. But she has been impressed by how hard he works, she said, and how much poise he has gained.

“When I first met him I was very struck by how shy he was,” she said, recalling the scared teenager who had been placed in deportation proceedings in November 2004, after he was a passenger in a car accident in Pennsylvania and a state trooper reported him to federal immigration authorities. “Even his voice was so quiet it was hard to hear him sometimes.”

“He’s always been a principled person who had a sense of the right way to act,” she added. “I feel like at every turn he has really taken the best from his environment and left the worst.”

He is still aware of his good luck, especially after visiting Senegalese friends when they were held for months without legal representation in an immigration detention center in Elizabeth, N.J. “There are people who have nobody to visit them,” he said. “They are just there alone.”

He now sits on a regional planning committee for the annual robotics competition, known as First, which has its robot-building trials on March 6. And he is trying to organize a robotics team in Senegal, said Kris Breton, who was Mr. Ly’s robotics coach in East Harlem and now works for the city overseeing free after-school programs.

Whether Mr. Ly succeeds in show business, returns to engineering or finds a different path, Mr. Breton added, he will make a fine American.

“Amadou has character,” he said.

IS 72 Lego Robotics Team Press Release

Coach Randi Huss, Monica Mikhail, Sara Zainelabdin, Dillon Chan, and Coach Olympia DiSpigna, Chinese School Student, Monica Mikhail, Assistant Prinicpal Maria Bender, Coach Randi Huss, Dillon Chan

“HAPPY Chinese New Year!” greeted Dillon Chan, the Rocco Laurie robotic inventor, as he introduced this year’s research project to over 100 students of the Staten Island Chinese School on Saturday January 24th. The four researchers, Sarah Zainelabdin, Monica Mikhail, Shayla Jones, and Heather Platt, introduced by coaches Randi Huss, Daniel Colasanto, and Olympia DiSpigna, presented their Global Connections Lego Robotics project to a curious and excited crowd. The team chose China as their international climate connection, comparing recycling efforts in both the US and mainland China.

The team clearly stated “as individuals we are contributing to the problem of the global warming crisis.” They explained the effects of methane gas [the second largest emitted greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide] on the environment. They presented their innovative solution: Mall-E. Mall-E stands for methane abstraction load lifter-Earth class. She is a chic robotic prototype, designed to abstract and transform methane into a viable energy source for both household and automobile use. The goal of our outreach was to educate and inspire the students to promote recycling and composting in our community.

The Chinese School students took the project very seriously and enjoyed it. The students went home and gave their families a survey which asked about recycling efforts currently in China. “The children really understood the concept of the challenge to recycle. They were excited and enthusiastic about Mall-E” said Heather Platt an 8th grade senior researcher.

This program is a joint venture in partnership with The 21st Century Children’s Aid Society After School Program, and Police Officer Rocco Laurie Intermediate 72. Mr. Michael Rieser of the Mayor’s Office on Recycling Education was our special consultant on this project. Through the support of our Principal Peter Macellari, and Assistant Principal Peter Garcia, the Lego Robotics program has consistently produced top honors in the New York State and National competitions annually. The team also currently holds the title of 1st place winner of the Golden Apple Award from the New York City Department of Sanitation for their recycling efforts.

Mall-E is available for lectures and demonstrations for any schools or groups interested in recycling and composting education.

Video: IS 75 on NY1

Hi Everyone,

The link below is a video I thought you would like to see. It will air on NY1 News every 15 minutes on the hour Friday, February 13, 2009. An article in the Staten Island Advance will follow. I will let you know what day it is in the paper. I really have amazing students.

http://www.ny1.com/content/top_stories/93904/island-students-prepare-for-robo-battle/Default.aspx?ap=1&Flash

Donny Swanson
Lego Robotics
Intermediate School 75
(718) 356-0130
DSwanson@schools.nyc.gov

Staten Island Project Homefront from Team 375

Team 375, “The Robotic Plague” would like to recruit the FIRST community to help us support Staten Island Project Homefront. S.I. Project Homefront is a not-for-profit organization devoted to supporting our service personal overseas, as well as their families back home.

Remember, just a few years ago, some of these young men and women were building robots for FIRST; now they are using robots to stay safe. We ask everyone to look at this project and get involved in any way your team sees fit.

On March 7th, at the N.Y.C. Regional (Jacob Javits Center) our team will be collecting items to help boost morale and supply our young men and women with much needed resources. We will be collecting items on our list (http://siprojecthomefront.org/Care_Package_Items.html) and off the list on Saturday March 7th. For your efforts, S.I. Project Homefront is donating two beautiful plaques to be awarded at Saturday’s ceremony (Most Items Collected, and Most Variety of Items Collected).

This is not a scam! Staten Island Project Homefront has been assisting our service personal in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Walter Reed Hospital for over five years. For more information, you may contact Project Homefront at www.siprojecthomefront.org or team 375 (The Robotic Plague) at robotic.team375@gmail.com

We Thank You in advance and we count on your Gracious Professionalism to help us in our efforts to support our cause and country.

This is the link on chiefdelphi that we posted.

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/showthread.php?p=814813#post814813

Seventy-Two NYC FLL Teams Competing at Javits Center March 7, 2009

The Bronx
109 PS/IS 123 X Solargy Chris GoodingKelleyann Royce
523 PS/MS 194 tevhno chistine Bernabei Cynthia Khadaran
584 Pablo Casals MS 181x The RoboCopz Terry BuchalterConstantine Kouvatsos
853 PS 121 X Storm Throopers Kathy BormannMaria Scher
895 Bronx Latin MS Architecti Eddie Branchaud
901 MS 101X Maritime Academy The Power Solvers Elizabeth Tremberger and Gina DeMatteo
1172 MS 302 X MS302 Tech Squad Sharon Shoatz
1636 ESMT IS 190 X Lego Mania Maribeth Whitehouse
1739 Kezner Academy @IS 192 X Accelerators Nicole HavelDonna Kinford
2266 PS 76XThe Bennington School 76ers Russell Heath
2545 Globe School for Environmental Research GLOBE Masters Michael JoycePaul RiterPaul CassidyBarbara Hartnett
2656 IS 98 X Herman Ridder Ridder Kids Harold Smith
5909 PS 103 x RoboStingers Jarret JackobCathy DalyCristen Delaney
5910 PS 103 x RoboStingers Jarret JackobCathy DalyCristen Delaney
6182 Archimedes Academy for Math, Science & Technology Archimedes 1 Justin Duffy
6368 PS 153 x Robotronics Michelle Solomon
6388 MS 144 xMichaelangelo MS 144 GoBots Victoria LoweNatasha Balkcom
7509 PS 108X Philip J. Abinanti School Energy All-Stars Vanessa Jones
7780 IS 125 XHenry Hudson The Hudsonians Hilda BairanGhada Elsendiony

Brooklyn
490 St. Edmund Elementary School St. Edmund Elementary School Christine Zaremba
1462 PS 372 K Static Fanatics Rita FasanoVicki HollandHaiva Albuliwi
1463 PS 372 K Static Fanatics Rita FasanoVicki HollandHaiva Albuliwi
1775 Packer Collegiate Inst. Pack-a-Watt Maureen Reilly
1827 PS 193 The Gil Hodges School NXT 193 1 Carol GeierCynthia McGintyStacy SolomonAnnabell Corales
1925 IS 318 Future Tech Guys Russ HolsteinEric Windley
1979 PS 58 The Carroll School The Thermolinas Keith WynneRoger Levy
2393 PS 11K Mission 11 Rasheda LyonsVlad Kop
2707 PS 21K Crispus Attucks School Panthers Carla Arnold
3076 Benjamin Banneker Academy K V-Bot Imani Fischer
3475 Arthur S. Somers Middle School Rising Star Clair Vassell-Williams
3575 PS 233K Langston Hughes Electric Winds Dawne Jokinsky
3951 PS 399 K Stanley Eugene Clarke Knights Sharon Holiday
3958 MS 267K Magicbot Neil Abell
3991 MS 88 K Masterminds A Andy SinghPriscilla
3993 MS 88 K Masterminds C Andy Singh
5762 MS 51K Generals James Hoffman

Manhattan
363 Think Robot, LLC Think Robot Tom Hershner
425 Columbia Secondary School for Math, Science and Engineering RoboCubs Andrew Stillman
1730 Trevor Day School The Little Dragons Steven Schechter
1910 MS 328 M Robotigers Beth Pollak
3057 PS/MS 108 Angelo Del Toro Time 4 Change Alicia Sotiropoulos
5496 The Brearley School Brearley Beavers Annie Cheung-LivhitsLuigi Cicala
5624 The Anderson School PS 334M AMS Dragons Renee JohnsonJudy Kunze
6425 Frederick Douglass Academy FDA LEGO Raiders Danielle NunezAlyssa RosenbaumJoel Andrew BianchiRichner ErisnorAndres Alonso
6426 Frederick Douglass Academy FDA LEGO Raidaz Danielle NunezAlyssa RosenbaumJoel Andrew BianchiRichner ErisnorAndres Alonso
6528 PS 123M Mahalia Jackson Scholars Academy John William King, Jr.
7175 Little Red School House LREI Rookies Sherezada Acosta
7177 Little Red School House LREI Rookies Sherezada Acosta
7836 The Gateway Schools Stratolab LLC The Weather Savers Sean McGuffee

Queens
232 MS 67Q Globorobo Ruta Dave
275 Cambria Center Cambria Warbots Sheryl LilesSheree Palmer
778 MS 216Q George Ryan Ryan Lions Peter Xanthus
1215 P.S. 139Q RoboTech Yvonne Shortt
1836 IS 119 Q TopGearz A Chris DudinJoan Weber
2491 RMS @ I. S. 192 Robo Fusion 192 A Eric Greene
4764 Resurrection Ascension RA Titans Janna Valente
7417 Louis Armstrong IS 227 Q Lamchops A Richard Akalski/ Joshua Blum
7418 Louis Armstrong IS 227 Q Lamchops B Richard Akalski/ Joshua Blum
7756 IS 119 Q TopGearz B Chris DudinJoan Weber

Staten Island
199 IS 24 SI Knights of 24 Raymond CottrellJane Frangos
202 IS 24 SI Blast Bots Raymond CottrellJane Frangos
1335 IS 27 SI Mustangs 1 Bryan Kilgallen
1341 Coen Micro Bots Patrick Coen
1667 IS 34 SI Stell Talons Joseph BuroAnn VerderberMike Garber
1784 St. Clare School Planeteers #3 Mary Lee
1956 IS 75 SI Panthers 3 Donny SwansonAndrew GrandnerDenise Carsten
2179 IS 72 SI V Team Randi HussDeric Borrero
2380 Staten Island Tech HS Tech Knows Mike SiegalDennis GiuriciRobert BraymanSteve Raile
2386 Staten Island Tech HS Tech Knights Mike SiegalDennis GiuriciRobert BraymanSteve Raile
2708 PS 57 SI PS 57 Robotics Team Patricia Lockhart
5119 IS 49 SI CyberSoldiers A Carol OblerFrancesco Portelos
5721 NYC Parks & Recreation Park Wizards Lisa Brooks