Mentors and Sponsors Buoy
Huntington Robotics
The Huntington High School robotics team has seen its efforts buoyed this year by the generous support it has received from several mentors and sponsors impressed by the teenager’s commitment and efforts.
Formally known as FIRST Team 5016, Huntington Robotics is led by Joe Saginaw (captain), Thomas Kouttron (vice-captain), John Riley (head mechanical technician), Jacob Strieb (head programmer), Cole Blackburn (head electrical technician), Lindsay Saginaw (head of marketing and public relations), Rachel Roday (social media coordinator), Steve Yeh (website manager), Julian Carollo (treasurer), Mary Sheehan (secretary) and Scott Venturino (safety officer).
Huntington technology teacher Brian Reynolds serves as faculty advisor for the team, which counts as members several dozen high school students. “Mr. Reynolds has been instrumental in helping the team grow and build a successful robot,” Mr. Saginaw said. “He has committed a tremendous amount of time to the team and is a great mentor.”
Huntington Robotics is among more than 2,700 FIRST high school robotics teams in the country. FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) encourages young people to pursue careers in engineering and science by showing them how interesting and fun those fields can be.
This marks the second year that Huntington Robotics is participating in the FIRST nationwide league competition. The team’s significant sponsors include Board certified orthodontist Inna Gellerman and the Huntington Rotary Club.
“Dr. Gellerman and her staff are very supportive of the team and are always very interested in our newest endeavors,” Mr. Saginaw said. “This is the second year the Huntington Rotary Club has helped fund us and it is also a very important supporter of the team.”
Huntington Robotics has also received contributions from the Henry Schein Corporation, BAE Systems, the FIRST organization and district parent and Allstate Insurance agent Darin Reed, a professional photographer who also shot photos during working build season meetings of the team.
The team’s mentors include Tony Chiarelli, a former engineer at Northrop Grumman, Ming Sun, an engineer at Motorola and a financial supporter of the team, Dave Saginaw, a naval architect and Ed Parry, a retired Huntington School District technology teacher.
“These mentors donated countless hours to helping team members build the robot,” said Mr. Saginaw, a senior who is the salutatorian of Huntington’s Class of 2015. “Lu Hi Summer Programs helped support the creation of the team’s logo and the team’s official website, which can be accessed at www.team5016.com. We could not have accomplished all that we did without the support of our amazing sponsors and mentors.”
The SBPLI (School Business Partnership of Long Island) regional robotics competition will be held this Friday and Saturday, March 27-28 at Hofstra University’s David S. Mack Arena. The event will run from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Friday and from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Saturday.
Huntington Robotics will be vying for a berth in the national finals in April in St. Louis.