Robotics in Harlem

This has been an extraordinary year for The Frederick Douglass Acaedemy, this is the first time that we joined forces with the Harlem YMCA and Rice High School to introduce robotics to Harlem. The students named the team the Harlem Knights.  On March 25 and 26 we competed in the NYC FIRST Regional Robotics Competition held in Riverbank State  Park.  More than 40 teams received the same box of robot components and software and had only 6 weeks to design, develop and assemble a robot able to compete in a game.

Each team's robot  was timed and the robot was monitored for accuracy at completing an assigned task. There were teams from all over the metropolitan area and a few international teams. Some of the prestigious high schools that participated in the competition were Stuyvesant, Bronx Science and Brooklyn Tech, just to name a few.  When they announced the winners, parents were excited, students were screaming and the audience was electrified. Our team came in 2nd place and also won the Judges Award for their ability to explain the physics of the robot they designed and assembled. No words can describe the joy the students, parents and teacher felt as it was announced that our team was now eligible to compete in the FIRST National Robotics Vex Competition in Atlanta Georgia. Be on the look out, as next year our eye is on winning first place.