Saturday, October 29, 2016

FLL Scrimmages - Learn in a relaxed environment!

An exciting opportunity for coaches in a message from Norm S the Younger. I love the idea of the $20 deposit that will be returned when you attend. Use it or lose it. Questions? Email Norm S the younger directly: norm@nycfirst.org

Good Morning FIRST LEGO League Coaches,

1) We have a series of scrimmages, coach workshops and team clinics coming up. 

Please sign up for tickets! 
Most of these events will have a $20 deposit which will be refunded when you attend an event or cancel with at least four days notice. Please see below!


FLL Scrimmages - Learn in a relaxed environment! 

FIRST LEGO League Scrimmage Saturday December 17th at Brooklyn Amity School : 

FIRST LEGO League Scrimmage Saturday January 7th at Bronx Community Charter School: 

FLL Coach Workshops (Coaches only) - Learn with other coaches and from NYU-Tandon students (each is a standalone workshop) - 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Saturday November 12th - Coach Ticket

Sunday November 13th - Coach Ticket

Saturday November 19th - Coach Ticket

Sunday November 20th - Coach Ticket

FLL Team Clinics (Coaches and Teams) - Learn with other teams (and from NYU-Tandon students)  (each is a standalone workshop) - 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Saturday December 3rd - Team Ticket

Sunday December 4th - Team Ticket 

Please let me know if you have any questions! 

Kind regards, 

Norm Suteria

Sunday, April 03, 2016

NY1 - NYCFIRST Champion From St. Albans Going to Championships in St. Louis

Eric Greene, a long-time coach for over a decade makes it to the promised land by winning the NYC First LEGO League championship at the Javits Convention Center on March 12, 2016.

Eric is raising funds to take his team to St. Louis.


This year’s winner was the team from IS 192Q from the St. Albans area of eastern Queens which is coached by Eric Greene who won for the first time. Eric has been a heroic figure for me since he joined our program 14 years ago as he managed to keep the robotics program going through all these years. This was no light victory since the competition came from many of the most elite private schools in the city which have many more resources than Eric has. Eric can now take his team to St. Louis for the international championship but needs to raise funds to do so. The team is from a lower middle class area (hard-working parents making ends meet), with possibly a few kids from the lower income level; it is a mixed income area. Eric is running a Go Fund Me Campaign and put out this request for assistance:



The robotics team from IS 192.
The FLL Champion robotics team from IS 192Q in St.Albans - Help to St. Louis

“We are the Robotics Team from IS 192 in St. Albans, Queens, New York. The team is made of seventh and eighth grade students. We just won the 1st Place Champion’s Award at the NYC FIRST LEGO League Championship tournament. Our team is now invited to the FIRST (World) Championship tournament in St. Louis, Mo. This event will take place April 27 to April 30. There are 14 members on the team. We would like everyone to but some families are unable to afford the trip. The money will go toward airfare, hotel, meals, and other expenses. We need the money as soon as possible so we can plan the trip and see how many students and parents would like to go and who needs financial help. It would be great if they all could go because everyone contributed to the team’s success.”

Here is the site if you want to help: www.gofundme.com/eru9tz9q

See video at:
http://www.ny1.com/nyc/queens/news/2016/03/29/-st--albans-school-to-compete-in-robotics-world-championship-.html

St. Albans School To Compete in Robotics World Championship 

By Shannan Ferry
Tuesday, March 29, 2016 at 05:56 PM EDT

 
The pressure is on for these LEGO robots, and the tech-savvy middle school students who created them.
"I feel pumped up I mean, we're the best of the best," said one student.
The best in New York City, and possibly the world.
IS 192 in St. Albans won the F.I.R.S.T. LEGO League Citywide Robotics Contest.
Now, they're preparing for an international championship in St. Louis, Missouri.
"We're putting our A-game on right not we're working like 110% right now," said a second student.
The competition is organized by non-profit NYC First.
The goal is to get students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and math.
"We sketch our ideas, and we also virtually design everything we do before we do it," said a third student.
This years theme is 'Trash Trek.'  Students program their robots to complete various tasks focused on recycling.
The competitors also have to identify a trash-related issue, and propose a way to solve it.  I.S. 192 students discovered recycling machines frequently jam.
"So their solution was to add color to the bar codes that the bottles read, and that way the machines wouldn't break down as much," said Eric Greene, who is a Robotics & Technology teacher.
The students are also judged on the league's core values including teamwork, professionalism and cooperation.
"These kids, there's something magical about these kids, they wouldn't settle for mediocre, every time they were working good enough was not good enough it had to be excellent," said Greene.
"It is really competitive you have teams from all over the world, and we're in it to win it like, serious," said another student.
But they still make time for fun.
The team has set up an online fundraising page for the trip.
The World Championship starts on April 27.

 

Wednesday, March 09, 2016

NYCFIRST Javits 2016 Update: Important Info You Need for Saturday Plus Attachments


Dear Teams,
    Enclosed are a batch of updated attachments. Please share as much info as you can with students and parents who may be coming. In the past people came up to the pit table with little info so telling them the pit number in advance would be useful.

You will not be allowed in until 8 AM.

Team Info Sheet (attached)
When you arrive hand in your team info sheet to me. We ask for a count on how many children you have with you. We understand that sometimes upon arrival you may not be sure. Make your best guess and come back later if it changes. It is most efficient for you to have this ready for me rather than start filling it out in front of me with all the other coaches milling about.
WE DON'T KNOW YOU HAVE ARRIVED OFFICIALLY UNLESS THIS IS  IN OUR HANDS.

Opening ceremonies at 9AM

Coaches Meeting
Rich Wong will hold a coaches meeting -  near the playing field -
Robot Inspection
You must see Veryl Green to get your robots inspected.
Bring your mats and FSK if you want to practice.
There will be outlets at the pits. But no power at the judging. (So no projectors).
Watching your stuff
Over all my 14 years of being involved I can recall only 2 or 3 instances of something that went missing - a laptop, a tablet. But this is a free entry area with no security so you need to consider how to protect your property just in case.
Phones, tablets, laptops can be tempting targets.
There are hundreds or people milling around.

THERE WILL BE NO CHAIRS
And a reminder -- few if any chairs - so bring them or bring something to put on the floor for kids to sit on.
I have 3 chairs for me and the other volunteers at the pit table. KEEP YOUR HANDS OFF!
You might consider bringing your own chairs but keep an eye on them because everyone is looking for chairs.
You have room in the aisles to set up your field on the floor but table space can be tight.
And share with neighbors.
Food, Glorious Food
For vets you know that upon arrival, the people at Javits frown at breaking in your own food and might not let you bring it in. Thus we tell our people to hide the food in bags and containers until you get to the pit table. Then it's Katy bar the door as no one will check again. As for lunch they never bother us so you can get pizza delivered if you meet the delivery guy outside.
Rubrics
I will be getting them in the afternoon but I cannot distribute them to the coaches until AFTER the closing ceremonies. I know some teams leave early so that becomes a problem. Check in with me either at the pit table or at the closing ceremony table where announcements are made if you have to leave. Only coaches, not students may pick them up.

Awards
If you leave early but get an award it will be sent to you.
Medals
I will hand these out beginning at lunch time by calling your pit table numbers over the mic. Please don't distribute to the kids until the end of the day as they get lost if they come off the ribbon.

READ THE FOLLOWING FROM OUR ORGANIZERS ESPECIALLY CAREFULLY

  General instructions and morning check-in
o   Please wait for your team to be queued for performance and judging sessions – while a schedule is being provided to you it is for reference purposes only
o   Upon morning check-in , you will be given a packet which will contain
§  Full sheet of labels – this is for your team memebrs to wear on their shirts throughout the competition and will be used to identify the team.  Note: there will be 2 labels marked Technical Presenter 1 and Technical Presenter 2  These must only be placed on the two kids who will do the technical robot presentation for the judges
§  Half sheet of labels – these should be given to your team when they go to judging.  The judges will peel off the appropriate judging label and put it on their rubric
§  Full judging and match schedule – remember that this is only for reference purposes – your team must wait in the pit to be queued for judging and performance rounds
§  Pit map and team list
§  Summary sheet showing the approximate times your team is scheduled for judging and performance
o   Remember to have your robots inspected in the morning by Veryl Greene (inspections to occur near Pit Admin - there will be a specific area Veryl will be in - check in with me if you can't find her.)
o   Opening ceremonies will begin promptly at 9:00 AM – please make sure your teams are in the stands unless your team has been queued up for judging
·       Practice Tables
o   Teams will be allowed to practice on the competition tables throughout the morning, however, tables must be left in competition-ready condition
·       Judging
o   All judging will be completed before lunch time
o   Teams will have 5 minutes to present at each of the 3 judge stations (Research, Technical, Core Values) and 5 minutes will be alloted for judge Q&A
§  This year, Technical Judging will be done on the designated competition tables
o   There will be no power provided in the Research judging booths.  If teams are presenting on a laptop, please ensure that it has adequate power to last through the duration of the judge session
o   There will be only 2 teams members allowed to present the robot during Technical Judging
§  The whole team is allowed and encouraged to present during Research and Core Values judge sessions
·       Performance
o   Performance rounds will take place for all teams following the judging session (starting approximately at 1:00 PM).  There will be no overalp between judging and performance rounds
o   Each team will have 3 performance rounds, from which the highest score will be taken for performance rankings
o   Only two team members are allowed to participate in during the 2.5 minute performance rounds
o   Robots must adhere to the maximum alowable materials rule when participating in performance rounds.  Robots must go through Robot Inspections in the morning, prior to the start of the performance rounds
·       Pit Areas
o   Power outlets will be provided in the pit stations
o   A team representative must always be present at their pit station in case queuers or any other volunteers need to locate the team
o   Announcements will be made in the pit over the PA system – please listen for important instructions from the coordinators throughout the day
· 
JFLL - ages 6-9 - exhibition area on your map-- stop by to visit.
FRC
It is important to make this a full learning experience for the kids and having some context will help.
There is a concurrent 3 day tournament going on for the high schools and they get a good deal of space. Try to take your kids to their pit area - you should try to find some time to take your team on a tour --- you will need safety glasses to get in -- they loan them out at the entrance. Back there you will see how each FRC team (some come from England and Brazil) has a shop set up to work on the robots.
Watch a few rounds of the competition.
This is the FRC competition - with 6 robots on the field at a time.
Here is a link if you want to school your kids so they know what is happening -- http://www.nycfirst.org/programs/frc

Most Importantly: Please remind your team to have fun throughout the day.  It is their day to shine and let all of the hard work of the last few months be on display.  Remind them about Gracious Professionalism and about why they are participating in FIRST.  Also, please take your kids to see the High School competition throughout the day.






Sunday, March 06, 2016

Calling all FLL Trash Trekkers! Join in the Javits Center Recycled Runway Show!

Hey Teams - check this out for March 12:


Calling all FLL Trash Trekkers! Join in the Javits Center Recycled Runway Show! 

We are inviting all teams to build and model works of wearable fashion art made from recycled materials.  We want you to make one-of-a-kind creations, using recycled or repurposed materials and strut your stuff on the Javits Center Runway Show which will be held between the end of the robot games and the beginning of the awards ceremony.

You can make dresses, skirts, jackets, vests, hats, capes, shoes, wands, and any other wearables you can think of!

What will you re-create?

--
Regards,

Susan Hermon
Program Coordinator
K12 STEM Education Center @
NYU Tandon School of Engineering646-997-3524

 

Tuesday, March 01, 2016

NYCFIRST Feb. 25 Update - On to Javits on March 12


Dear Teams,
It's Norm Scott -  Norm S the elder Not Norm Sutaria, the younger  -  and I will be your contact for any questions you have and will be sending you regular annoying updates.
Congratulations on winning an award at the qualifier and it's on to the championship round on Saturday March 12 at the Javits Convention Center, a little over 2 weeks from now.

Plan for a long day from 8-4 and possibly a bit later. You won't be allowed in until 8AM.
Please check the norms robotics blog - http://normsrobotics.blogspot.com/2016/02/nycfirst-update-teams-going-to.html-  or the list below to make sure you are listed correctly.
If an error was made and you are listed and shouldn't be let me know as some other team might be affected.
If you cannot attend let me know ASAP so we can check with the teams next in line.

So I know you are getting my communications,  you must respond to this email with your
Name
school
team number


Only the official coach needs to respond, not the assistant. But I am including both emails in all communications. If you need to change an email or add someone include that information in your response.
Also include your cell phone number so if we need to reach you before or during the event we can do so.
I am attaching the Team Info sheet which you must fill out for each team you have competing. Fill it out and hand in to me at the pit table desk when you arrive. That is the only way we know you have arrived.
You do not have to register on line.

You are automatically registered when you hand me your team info sheet when you arrive.

There is no fee for the event.
You will be pre-assigned a pit table number which I will send it to you around March 7.

I will email you a schedule, floor plan and pit table map when they are available.
The more of this info you share with your team and with parents in advance the more smoothly things will run.
If you have any questions include them in your response to this email. Or call me.

Norm Scott
917-992-3734

Saturday, February 27, 2016

March 12- Vounteers Needed for First LEGO League Championship at Javits


ALL HANDS ON DECK!!!!!!!!!

Last weekend we completed our FLL Qualifiers and THANK YOU for helping us this season.  We now need your help for the GRAND FINALE at Javits, Saturday, March 12th.

WE NEED YOUR HELP!!!! Many roles to fill, specifically Judges and Referees….you will be trained if you aren’t already.  Also needed, queuers, scorekeepers, field resetters,  day before set up volunteers, general volunteers, etc.  

WE NEED IT ALL.
We will be conducting Referee & Judge Trainings prior to the main event and I will send those details to the registered volunteers for these roles by end of this week.

Please FEEL in getting your friends and family involved. 

Please see the event information below; sign up and select an event through the Volunteer Information Management System (VIMS) and contact the volunteer coordinators if you have any questions or concerns. For information about the various FIRST programs please click here:  http://www.usfirst.org/

Step 1  - Register in the Volunteer Information Management System (VIMS)

All of our event volunteers need to register with our national volunteer database, as everyone needs to be screened through our Youth Protection Program (
http://www.usfirst.org/aboutus/youth-protection-program)

Step 2 - Within VIMS, please select an event (or events) listed below:
(Most events run from 7:30-8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; breakfast and lunch provided)

FIRST Lego League FLL (FLL)
Volunteer Coordinator: Elizabeth Almonte - ealmonte311@gmail.com
 Friday, March 11th, 2016      -- FLL Citywide SET-UP – Javits Convention Center --- 4pm – 8pm shift

Saturday March 12, 2016 - FLL Citywide Championship - Jacob Javits Convention Center  
  
Friday-Sunday March 11-13, 2016 - Jacob Javits Convention Center - Manhattan
(You can volunteer one, two or all three days.)

A volunteer coordinator will contact you with details once you are assigned to an event!  Please feel free to reach out to them if you have any questions or concerns.

Thursday, February 25, 2016

NYCFIRST Update: Teams Going to Championship Round on March 12, 2016



Team Number School Name Coach Name Team Name team_City
760 Jhs 67 Louis Pasteur Ruta Dave BOOGIEBOTS LITTLE NECK
1551
Grant Chappell Sonic Gears Astoria
1725 Eltingville Lutheran School Peter Hansen Eagles Staten Island
2476 Ps 11 William T Harris Hector vazquez Ps11 team two New York
2561 Is 119 the Glendale Chris Dudin TopGearz Glendale
2562 Is 119 the Glendale Chris Dudin SuperBotz Glendale
2642 Salve Regina Catholic Academy Francis Belizario SRCA Royal Sages Brooklyn
2762 Resurrection Ascension School Joann Heppt RA Tech Titans Rego Park
2793 Jhs 278 Marine Park Bruce Gamsey Marine Park Robotics 2 Brooklyn
3071 Sacred Heart School Joanne Gangi FLLASH Glendale
3263 St Clare School Mary  Lee St. Clare's Transformers 1 Staten Island
3264 St Clare School Mary  Lee St. Clare's Transformers 2 Staten Island
3265 St Clare School Mary  Lee St. Clare's Transformers 3 Staten Island
3427
Iffat Mai Agents of T.R.A.S.H. (FHRL) New York
3429
David Smith GirlBot (FHRL) Forest Hills
3430
Iffat Mai Composters  Forest Hills
3431
Iffat Mai FHRL-FLL4 Forest Hills
3432
Iffat Mai Trash Talkers  Forest Hills
3786 Ps 57 Hubert H Humphrey Patricia Lockhart PS 57 R Robotics Staten Island
4518 Horace Mann School Glenda Guerrero Basement Cubs Bronx
4839 Dalton School Robert Quatrone Dalton 1 New York
4843 Dalton School Robert Quatrone Dalton 2 New York
5678 Transfiguration School William Lee Transfiguration Master Builders New York
5892 Fort Green Preparatory Academy Saranii Muller FGPA LADYWOLVES Brooklyn
5896 Brooklyn Brownstone School Deborah Paul Smartbots Brooklyn
5997 The Chapin School Jack Cooley Chapin Bots Team 1 New Yori
6000 the Chapin School Ltd Jack Cooley Chapin Bots Team 2 New York
7079 LREI Jeremiah Demster LREI 7th/8th New York
7080 LREI Jeremiah Demster LREI New York
7399
Matthew McGlennen Manhattan Youth @ ESMS New York
7651 Grace Church School Daniel Rufer Grace Gremlins 1  New York
9109 Xaverian High School James Schreiner Genesis 1 Brooklyn
9113 Xaverian High School James Schreiner Genesis 3 Brooklyn
9114 Xaverian High School James Schreiner Genesis 4 Brooklyn
10005
Joshua Ralske The ROCbotics New York
10016 Ps 213 New Lots Sandra Ruiz P.S. 213's Lego Dream Team Brooklyn
10053
richard palacios The Young Warriors of East Harlem New York
10083
David Frackman Flying Bison Brooklyn
10827
Lucia Rutter Manhattan Youth at Quest to Learn New York City
10871 Collegiate School Adam Romary Nananana Botman New York
10885 Riverdale Country School Andrew Abate NXT Generation Bronx
11337
Marc Hayem Trash Troopers New York
11487 School of the Future High School Lisa Sechy Future New York
11757 Ps 161 the Crown carlos varas Brooklyn go Bots Brooklyn
11916
Matthew McGlennen ESMS Blue Tigers - Manhattan Youth New York
12063 Intermediate School 27 Bryan Kilgallen Mustangs 2 Staten Island
12498 the Michael J Petrides School Cindy Forkowitz Robo-Panthers Staten Island
13452 Ps 199 Maurice a Fitzgerald Patrick Murphy Omega 199 Sunnyside 
13453 Ps 199 Maurice a Fitzgerald Patrick Murphy Alpha 199 Sunnyside
14482 Ps 33 Chelsea Prep Jaime Quinonez Chelsea FLL 2 New York
14687 Jhs 88 Peter Rouget Nancy Azcona MasterMinds2 Brooklyn
14724 Jhs 88 Peter Rouget Nancy Azcona MasterMinds Brooklyn
14763 Is 24 Myra S Barnes Raymond Cottrell Knights of 24 Staten Island
15018 Ps 9 Teunis G Bergen Stephanie Codrington Roborebels Brooklyn
15019 Is 192 the Linden Eric Greene Robo Fusion 192 St. Albans
15024 Is 24 Myra S Barnes Raymond Cottrell Dark Knights of 24 Staten Island
15072 Is 227 Louis Armstrong Emil Dominguez New Schoolers East Elmhurst
15245 Jhs 216 George J Ryan Peter Xanthus Ryan Lions Fresh Meadows
15679
Marcia Lovas QH Master Builders Jackson Heights
16133 Bronx Community Charter School Christy Crawford Bronx Community Charter School Bronx
17917
Andy Tse LEGOMINDS Brooklyn
18565 Packer Collegiate Institute Erin Barrows Packer Team 1 Brooklyn
18566 Packer Collegiate Institute Brendan Kinnell Packer Team 2 Brooklyn
19010 Trinity School Hisham Touma Trinity Gold New York
19011 Trinity School Hisham Touma Trinity Blue New York
19300
Susan Helfter Milbotics New York
19373

Schechter Lions
19908
Robert Jones Bronx EFKs New York City
19990 Is 51 Edwin Markham Diana Pugni Robotics Squad Staten Island
20872 the Michael J Petrides School Cindy Forkowitz Robo-Panthers 2 Staten Island
21076 Transfiguration School William Lee 7 LEGO All Star Builders New York City
21247
Sarah Pooley Cadette Supergirls Richmond Hill
21248
Sarah Pooley Digi-Girlz Staten Island
21251
Sarah Pooley The Dorkables Brooklyn
21880 Ps 9 Sarah Anderson Nicole Chandonnet The Anderson Dragons NYC
22155 Ps 58 the Carroll Sara Woster TrashStaches (fmrly Brooklyn Robotics) Brooklyn
22323
marco perry System Errors Brooklyn
22398 Mott Hall Community School Chris Gooding LIONS NYC
22671   Naresh Rajanna Chester Robo Ardsley
22894 Grace Church School Daniel Rufer Grace Gremlins New York
22909 USA Jover Nunez Henry Hudson Lego Explorers Bronx

Tuesday, January 05, 2016

NYCFIRST 2015/16 Borough Qualifiers and Championship With Contact info

Here is the latest info I have on the qualifiers.

Details about registration:
More Details:

NYC FIRST Update

Please register for only one event

Saturday January 16th
8 a.m.-5 p.m.
City College of New York FLL Qualifier
Manhattan, NY
Ivan Estevez

Saturday January 30th
8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Staten Island FLL Qualifier
I.S. 51 Edwin Markham
Staten Island, NY
Diana Pugni

Sunday January 31st
8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Queens FLL Qualifier
JHS 216 George J. Ryan Middle School
Queens, NY
Peter Xanthus


Saturday February 6th
8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Brooklyn Xaverian FLL Qualifier
Xaverian H.S.
Brooklyn, NY
James Schreiner

Saturday February 6th
8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Bronx FLL Qualifier
Horace Mann School
Bronx, NY
Jason Torres

Saturday February 20th
8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Dalton School FLL Qualifier
Manhattan, NY
Rob Quatrone

Sunday February 21st
8 a.m.-5 p.m
Brooklyn Polytechnic High School FLL Qualifier
Brooklyn, NY
Susan Hermon

Saturday March 12th
Citywide NYC FIRST LEGO League Championship
8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Javits Center
Manhattan, NY
Contact Norm Scott: normsco@gmail.com

More Details:

NYC FIRST Update

Please register for only one event: