The James Wilson Young Middle School RoboPhantoms FIRST Robotics Lego team earned the First Finalist Champion’s Award at the FIRST Long Island Championship Tournament, held in Hicksville on March 5, ranking the team as second on Long Island. The team will now head to the Razorback Invitational, an international competition, to be held on the University of Arkansas campus in Fayetteville on May 18-21.

Team members are enrolled in the middle school’s eighth grade science research class, which participates and competes in the FIRST Robotics Lego League as the RoboPhantoms, under the direction of Mr. DeSantis and Ms. Brinkman.

What is so remarkable is that the RoboPhantoms are a rookie team who first qualified as a contender in the FIRST Lego League as winner of the Innovation Project Award at the qualifying tournament, held in Huntington on Feb. 4. Additionally, rookie adviser Joseph DeSantis was named FIRST Lego League Long Island Robotics Team Coach of the Year at the March 5th event.

During the March 14 board of education meeting, the robotics team was recognized by the trustees and Superintendent of Schools Dr. Timothy Hearney. The team also gave a presentation about their Innovation Project on solar energy, called Solar Drive, the team’s core values as well as their robot design process.

Ms. Brinkman praised the team and said, “We give them the tools and the time, but this is all their work. We are very proud of the team.”

Date Added: 3/23/2023