Category Archives: Accomplishments

Newton Robotics Teams perform at Boston’s Robot Block Party

Accomplishments

At the 7th Annual MassRobotics Robot Block Party on September 28, visitors witnessed innovative robot demonstrations and hands-on interactions, learned from experts in the field through presentations and a college and career fair, and played robotics games. With the highest student participation yet, over a dozen FIRST high school robotics teams demonstrated their robots at the event, including the Newton-based, internationally competing Lazer Robotics FIRST Tech Challenge team and the student-run LigerBots FIRST Robotics Competition team of Newton North High School and Newton South High School.

Jerry Gong, captain of Lazer Robotics and sophomore at Newton South High School, wrote: “The MassRobotics robot block party was one of the most inspiring and popular outreach events we’ve ever attended… Specifically, the focus on tech-related companies made the experience quite eye-opening for the team. To see what we’ve learned as a high school robotics team over the past years being applied in real-world industries is truly inspiring. All the skills that we’ve learned through building, designing, and testing our robots are the same set of skills that professional industries use to operate on a day-to-day basis. 

“I also felt that this event was an excellent representation of the strong FIRST robotics community in Massachusetts. Representing FTC, FRC, and even VEX robotics, this event represented high school robotics programs on a scale larger than any… FIRST robotics has inspired… the career paths of many [but doesn’t get much representation], and events like this truly put into perspective how much impact the world of high school robotics has on today’s generation. To know that the many hours of work that goes into our shared passion of creating robots is eventually what will change the world is truly inspiring.”

Eason, a sophomore at Newton North High School and member of LigerBots, was similarly impressed by the Robot Block Party: “This event is truly inspiring. This is the most interactive and interesting event I’ve ever attended. Throughout the event, I talked to many companies and colleges. The opportunities presented are endless. Dozens of high-tech companies and colleges offer internship and educational programs for high schoolers. In addition, I loved the presence of numerous robotics teams. This [event is] hosted [not only] by tech companies but also by high schoolers. It gives a more welcoming vibe for kids of younger ages.”

The Robot Block Party offered a unique glimpse into the vast field of robotics and an impactful opportunity for students interested in STEM. The event will return next year with even more to experience.

LigerBots at the FRC World Championship

Accomplishments

The LigerBots, Newton’s dual-high-school FIRST Robotics team, traveled to Houston April 17-20 to compete in the FIRST World Championship — an international competition that caps the FIRST robotics competition season. This was the first time in six years that the LigerBots had qualified for “the Worlds” — joining 600 other teams from 58 countries.

The LigerBots qualified for the FIRST Championship by exceling in tough qualifying events and the New England District Championship:

  • At the Greater Boston Event, the team won the FIRST Impact Award, the most prestigious award in FIRST.
  • In the New England District Championship, the LigerBots with their two alliance partners scored the highest number of points in the whole competition.

At the FIRST World Championship, the LigerBots achieved 6th place out of 75 teams in the Johnson division qualifying rounds, which qualified the team to be a 5th seed alliance captain in the playoffs. They formed an alliance with teams from Bolton (MA), Laurens (SC), and Australia. In fiercely competitive matches, their alliance emerged victorious in several rounds and unfortunately concluded with two close losses.

While in Houston, the LigerBots explored the event’s Innovation Expo full of booths from colleges and leading technology companies, with opportunities to interact with a 3D milling machine and to try welding on a high-tech simulator. Some team members took on roles as FIRST student ambassadors, guiding VIP guests around the venue, while others volunteered to reset fields or served as judges in different divisions. Some explored NASA’s Johnson Space Center while others visited Houston’s aquarium.

Congratulations to all LigerBots students and coaches for an impressive year of dedication, achievement, and fun.

Many thanks to LigerBots student leader Davis for providing essential information for this article, which originally appeared in Fig City News.

MITES Symposiums: High-school students present their work, May 4

Accomplishments, Events

MIT Introduction to Technology, Engineering & Science (MITES) provides transformative experiences to bolster confidence, create lifelong community, and build foundations in STEM for highly motivated students in Grades 7-12 from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds in Boston, Cambridge, and Lawrence. More than 100 MITES students will be presenting their final projects on May 4, 10AM-3PM, at the Stata Center (MIT Building 32, Vassar Street, Cambridge). Please register by April 29 to assist planning. Areas of focus:

  • 7th grade: Engineering Design
  • 8th grade: Environmental Engineering
  • 9th grade: Architecture
  • 10th grade: Robotics
  • 11th grade: Biological Engineering
  • 12th grade: Engineering Design

MassBay Student STEM Expo in person May 8, virtually May 6-10

Accomplishments, Events

MassBay Community College will hold its Student STEM Expo on Wednesday, May 8, 1PM-2PM in the Wellesley Hills campus cafeteria (50 Oakland Street, Wellesley Hills), and virtually May 6 – 10. Students will showcase their STEM work to the MassBay community, local STEM professionals, and the general public.

Online visitors can watch prerecorded videos from individual students and student teams. Viewers may leave comments and ask questions, and students will answer  incoming inquiries and engage in conversations with visitors about their projects.

LigerBots win top FRC award at Greater Boston Competition

Accomplishments

At FIRST Robotics’ Greater Boston Competition this weekend, the LigerBots, Newton’s dual high school robotics team, showed their star power in the spotlight. This event —  the LigerBots’ second New England District Qualifier — was held over two intense days at Revere High School, with 61 qualifying rounds on Saturday and remaining qualifying rounds, playoffs, and award announcements on Sunday.

From success in the qualifying rounds, the LigerBots were named captain of Alliance 5 for the playoffs, choosing to collaborate with Lobstah Bots and Wolverines as alliance partners. Overall, the LigerBots are now ranked 23th out of 185 teams in New England and have qualified for the upcoming New England District Championship in Springfield.
At this event, the LigerBots also won FIRST Impact Award, the most prestigious award in FIRST, which provides invitations for the entire team to compete in Springfield.
Coach Igor of the LigerBots was named a semi-finalist for the Woodie Flowers Award and will compete for the final award in the New England District Championship at Springfield.
After the matches in Revere, the LigerBots are excited to continue to play strong in upcoming competitions.

LigerBots excel in first qualifying match of the season

Accomplishments

From Newton North HS Senior Davis R: This weekend, the LigerBots, Newton’s dual-high-school robotics team, finished strongly at Bridgewater State University for their first New England District Qualifier. After two fierce days of competition and overcoming a series of technical challenges, the team placed as a finalist out of 36 teams. In addition, the LigerBots won the Engineering Inspiration Award.

This is only the beginning. Tomorrow, the LigerBots will be back in the shop, taking lessons from the competition to make strategic improvements. This will prepare them for the next competition, the New England District Greater Boston Event in two weeks on March 23-24.

NOTE: FIRST Robotics says: “The Engineering Inspiration Award celebrates outstanding success in advancing respect and appreciation for engineering within a team’s school or organization, and community. Inspiring others to respect science and technology requires passion, knowledge and commitment, and we recognize these qualities through this award.”

Droids, LEGOs and Robots, Oh My!

Accomplishments

On Saturday, December 16, Newton’s dual-high-school robotics team, the LigerBots  hosted the Massachusetts East State Championship FIRST LEGO League (FLL) tournament at Newton North High School along with a STEAM Expo featuring exhibitors such as:

  • Society of Women engineers, who showed kids how to build an LED light;
  • The 501st Legion, who all came in their Star Wars costumes and showed off their droids; and
  • Johnson String Instruments, who demonstrated the math behind music.
STEAM Expo activities
A total of 48 FIRST Lego League (FLL) Competition teams had qualified to compete in this State Championship. After a full day of head-to-head competition, presentations, and STEAM activities, the Goofy Gyros FLL team from Ashland won 1st place, and Newton’s own New England Code Crackers came in 2nd. Newton’s Tie-Dye Chickens won 3rd place in Core Values. Other Newton teams participating in the State Championship included the Cookie Coders and The First Layer. Ligerbots adult mentor Diane Levy was recognized with FLL’s prestigious volunteer award for everything she did to organize the whole event.
Ashland’s Goofy Gyros won 1st place, and Newton’s New England Code Crackers won 2nd.
Honored guests included U.S. Congressman, Jake Auchincloss, who came with his whole family. and the Chief Operating officer of FIRST, Chris Rake.
Many adult volunteers served as facilitators, coaches, and judges for the competition. City Councilor Julia Malakie and Councilor-Elect Rena Getz volunteered as judges, and Councilors Tarik Lucas and John Oliver, along with Councilor-Elect Martha Bixby, also came to check out all the work that LigerBots do to promote and facilitate STEAM education.
Volunteer judges for FLL State Championship
Three Girl Scout Brownie Troops came, earned STEAM patches, and worked on their STEAM TryIts at our Expo. There was much more community participation as visiting FIRST Robotics teams like Record Robotics and the Lobstah Bot helped out and some LigerBots Alumni came back to help out.
Greer Tan Swiston is a volunteer mentor for the LigerBots.

MITES Symposiums: High-school students present their work, July 21 & Aug. 2-3

Accomplishments, Events

MIT Introduction to Technology, Engineering & Science (MITES) provides transformative experiences to bolster confidence, create lifelong community, and build foundations in STEM for highly motivated students in Grades 7-12 from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds. The MITES students who are rising seniors will be presenting their work in two symposiums. Register here to attend:

  • July 21: MITES Summer, in-person, 8:30AM-5PM
  • August 2-3: MITES Semester, virtual, 6PM-9PM each day