Robots, Reefs, and Rising Talent: Reflections from the CEWIT K-12 Robotics Showcase

On May 29, 2025, I had the opportunity to attend a remarkable student robotics showcase at Stony Brook University’s CEWIT (Center of Excellence in Wireless and Information Technology). Hosted in collaboration with the Office for Research & Innovation, the event brought together robotics teams from Kings Park and Longwood High Schools for a morning of demos, dialogue, and discovery.

As someone passionate about STEM education, it was inspiring to speak directly with the students—not just about their robots, but also about their strategies, goals, and future pathways. They shared how they had spent the season analyzing the competition, scouting other teams to understand how different alliances approached the same challenge. Their enthusiasm was infectious, and their grasp of both engineering and game dynamics was impressive.

Inside the Challenge: REEFSCAPE presented by Haas

All the showcased robots were built for the 2025 FIRST Robotics Competition game, REEFSCAPE. In this ocean-themed match, student-built robots are tasked with completing a series of complex actions:

• Coral Seeding: Robots carry and place PVC tubes—representing coral—onto various levels of a reef structure. The higher the placement, the more points earned. If coral is seeded across all four levels, teams gain a crucial ranking point.

• Algae Delivery: Robots harvest “algae” and deliver it either to a team net or to a processor, where human players on the opposing alliance score it into the net.

• Barge Retrieval: In the final dramatic moments of the match, robots race back to their alliance’s barge, grab hold of a cage, and lift themselves completely off the ground—no small feat, considering the weight and precision involved.

The students explained how they engineered their robots to meet each task and adjust mid-season as they learned from other teams. They lit up when asked to explain their mechanisms, code, or strategy shifts, and they genuinely enjoyed talking to people who understood the nuances of competitive robotics.

A Championship Season

It was particularly exciting to hear about their journey to the 2025 FIRST Long Island Regional, where Team 564 (Longwood RoboLions) and Team 5736 (Kingsmen Robotics) joined Team 353 (POBots) to win the event. Team 564 also took home the FIRST Impact Award, the highest honor in the competition, recognizing their outreach, innovation, and leadership.

That success earned them a spot at the FIRST Championship in Houston, Texas, where Team 564 competed in the Johnson Division. While their official record was 2–8, their participation on the global stage—among the top teams in the world—was a major accomplishment and a source of pride for their schools and mentors.

Looking Ahead

As Derek O’Connor, CEWIT’s Workforce Development Manager, shared in his follow-up message, the students were thrilled by the experience:

“They’re not used to speaking with people so knowledgeable about these projects… they really enjoyed answering questions, getting feedback, and having a chance to show off a little bit.”

And rightfully so. They did an amazing job—not just building competitive machines, but embodying the kind of teamwork, persistence, and curiosity that robotics education is all about.

I left the showcase feeling hopeful and energized. These students aren’t just tomorrow’s engineers—they’re already innovators today. I look forward to seeing where they go next and to being part of more events like this that connect education with opportunity, one robot at a time.

Oh and Cooper… if you are reading this… I’ll be waiting for you in two years when you attend SBU and come to work in my lab!