Ready to compete in the next stage of the First Tech Challenge Robotic competition, Jamaica College Robotics Team traveled to New York to participate in the regional championship. The competition has been described as a “varsity sport for the mind,” and mixes the excitement of a sporting event with demanding elements of science and technology. In the First Robotics Competition, teams of 25 or more students must raise funds, design a “brand” for their team, perfect their teamwork skills, and construct and program a robot that can perform set tasks against its competitors. Organizers say the contest is as close to a real-world engineering experience that a student can have. Teams comprise students from the ages of 14 to 18 in grades 9 through 12, and they are given a chance to work with professional engineers, earn their place in the championships, and qualify for almost $25 million in college scholarships. The Jamaica College team will compete in the regional on February 28, 2016, at Townsend High School in Flushing, New York. Make a donation to assist the team with funding.