Southampton robotics team returns with Long Island regional title; students urge sustained funding

The Southampton students and mentors who compete in FIRST robotics presented a recap of their Long Island regional championship, described the robot's features and strategy, and asked the district and community to continue supporting the program financially and through mentorship.

A student driver explained how defense and alliance strategy helped secure the win: "I also did defense driving, which pretty much won us the competition," S8 said. Coaches and team members detailed technical advances such as new wheel modules and vision sensors, and emphasized that building, maintenance and competition entry costs are substantial. One presenter noted grants and sponsorships the team has used, including a recurring GE Foundation grant and a rookie grant from First Robotics that covered initial entry costs; the presenter also said larger sponsors sometimes cover entry fees.

Students described local fundraising efforts and thanked community sponsors; one student said they had fundraised aggressively by delivering letters to businesses. Team leaders explained that yearly game changes require new components and that some parts are reusable, but many components must be reengineered each season.

Board members and staff praised the students and coaches and encouraged continued mentor and community engagement. Administrators noted the team's successes and directed the board to consider how to sustain the program through grants, reserves or community fundraising.