Hudson Valley Community College School of STEM to Exhibit at FIRST Robotics Competition

March 19, 2024

Hudson Valley Community College’s School of STEM is sponsoring the annual FIRST® New York Tech Valley Regional Robotics Competition at the MVP Arena March 21-23. During the event, teams of high school students are challenged to design, build and program industrial-size robots and compete for awards. The students also create a team identity, raise funds, hone teamwork skills and gain insights in future STEM careers.

More than 50 teams of high school students, along with their coaches, chaperones, and supporters, will participate in two days of competition, including testing, repairing, and problem-solving with their robots. The students have been preparing for the competition for months, developing their skills in programming, engineering, building, and optimizing robotic systems.

Hudson Valley’s School of STEM will represent the college at the event and showcase hands-on displays, demonstrations, and activities, including a cobot robotic arm, VR headsets to allow virtual tours of campus facilities, an electric car display, and a virtual anatomy table. A team of faculty and staff will also be available to meet high school students to talk about a variety of pathways to STEM careers offered at the college. Hudson Valley offers nearly 40 degree and certificate programs in STEM that provide students with the skills needed to enter the workforce in a variety of high growth career fields, or transfer to a four-year program.

“Hudson Valley is proud to be a sponsor of the FIRST® New York Tech Valley Regional Robotics Competition,” said President Roger Ramsammy. “This sponsorship is part of the college’s proactive and focused outreach efforts to educate young students on the importance of STEM and STEM-based careers. We are excited to be a part of such a fun event and look forward to supporting the students throughout the competition and on their future academic journeys.”

The college is also joining the University at Albany and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute to sponsor the Team Social on the evening of Friday, March 22. During the Social, the teams, their coaches, and all other associated individuals will have the opportunity to meet, interact, and get to know each other in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere where refreshments will be provided.