On July 23-27, School-Business Partnerships of Long Island, Inc. (SBPLI) held its inaugural FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics Summer Day Camp at Dowling College.

Campers ages 9-18 learned how to assemble and program robots during those five days, as well as garnered an interest in science, engineering and technology. The camp was designed for middle school students, incoming freshmen and sophomores, and students at all high school levels who have not played an active technical role on a high school robotics team.

At the conclusion of the camp, parents and friends were invited to see what their children had accomplished. Campers demonstrated how robots could move using voice-activated technology, pull objects over long distances and navigate a maze. Students also explained how the robots were able to operate using mechanical and electrical engineering and pneumatics. After the demonstration, middle school campers took turns operating one of the high school robots used in this year’s “Rebound Rumble” to shoot a basketball into a hoop. All campers received a certificate and a T-shirt from SBPLI.