Students: Brains Too Big for Bodies

Last year Sleepy Hollow students participating in the Lego robots competition had to go all the way to Poughkeepsie. This year, they got to save themselves the big commute by playing host.

Twelve teams gathered at Sleepy Hollow High School on Saturday for the Hudson Valley FIRST Lego League competition.

Though there is competition for the older kids, “everybody wins,” said Science Chair Jason Choi, making sure the day went smoothly for guests and home students alike, who filled halls, tables, gymnasium and classrooms as they moved from station to station to prepare, present, get judged, and race their uniquely helpful robots.

Each year has a theme, problem-solving and exploring an important issue of our time, said John Houston, Assistant Director of the region's FLL. While last year’s theme was food safety (and featured a number of salmonella-cantaloupe projects), this year was senior citizens.

Junior groups aged 6 to 9 years old here more for the fun and experience and senior groups aged 9 to 14 who officially compete addressed the topic through their construction of Lego microwaves, bracelets that turn into glasses, chair lifts, machines that help with gardening or dishwashing, and more.

On Sunday, area high school teams also competed at Pace University. See photos here.

Sleepy Hollow science teacher Mike Garguilo was the teacher advisor for our home team, the Headless Horse-Bots, of which there were 10 in festive trademark red.

“Our brains are too big for our bodies," the shirt proclaimed proudly.

The Horse-Bots also enjoyed professional partnership with Phillips, and of course a good amount of super-supportive parents.

School groups visited from all over the region from the Mamaroneck Robo Panthers to the Ninja Blocks of Scarsdale and the Tuckahoe Rockin' Robots, all with their own matching team t-shirts.

From six qualifying events, two teams from this day would advance to regionals at Dutchess Community College. Regionals can lead to nationals at either World Fest or the North American Open in California. 

The day's results:

1. The Rockin' Robots (Tuckahoe)

2. Somers Mindstorm Specialists (Somers)

Both teams move on to the Hudson Valley Championships at Dutchess Community College on Feb 23rd. 

Other teams that were recognized with awards were:

Team Spirit - YES II (New Rochelle)
Robot Performance - Robot Benders (Chappaqua)
Robot Design - Darwinici's Apprentices (Yorktown Heights)
Core Values - Team DART (Warwick)
Research Project - Somers Mindstorm Specialists (Somers)

“We’re trying to get kids excited about problem solving,” Choi said. 

Next year, the theme will be natural disasters.

See more photos from the Hudson Valley FIRST Lego League Facebook page here.

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