Congratulations Reuben Bridges, Mentor with 2TrainRobotics Team of Morris High School in the Bronx - From Student to Mentor, Robotics Offers Young People So Much!

2TrainRobotics (Morris High School Robotics Team) -
Reuben Bridges in the center with cap on head.
Gary Israel next to Reuben, 4th from right 

 

The letters below were sent to me by my friend, Gary Israel, who has coached Morris High School’s 2 Train Robotics team for years. It would be impossible to overstate the level of passion and commitment that Gary and colleagues like Reuben Bridges (former student and now team Mentor) and the young people they work with have for Student Robotics. The letters below illustrate the kind of excitement and character shaping that FIRST, and other robotics events and activities bring to the lives of young people along with crucial STEM learning….

On 03/16/15, Gary Israel wrote:
Dear Friends,
It was an amazing weekend at the NYC Robotics Competition at the Javits Convention Center in NYC. There is good news and bad news. Unfortunately our robot did not perform as well as we hoped, so this year we did not qualify for the final elimination rounds Sunday afternoon.

Since this was our first competition in 2015 the students learned a lot about the robot during competition and will be better prepared for our second competition next week in Rochester NY.

Now for the good news and it doesn't get any better than this. In 1999 when I started the robotics program at Morris High School in South Bronx, a senior student from one of my business classes, Reuben Bridges, joined the team. After graduating the following year he started to mentor the team and has continued to work with the team every year. At this year's competition there were 65 teams from the USA and around the world. I am happy to say that Rueben was awarded the highest honor given to an individual - the "Woodie Flowers Award". This prestigious award recognizes mentors who, lead, inspire, and empower students”.

During Sunday's competition Reuben was interviewed by CNN and shared his passion and commitment to FIRST Robotics!

Reuben is an extraordinary young man who has been a wonderful role model for the male students on the team and I couldn't be more proud!

Warm regards,

Gary

 

Monday, Mar 9 09:12 AM

Morris High School Robotics Team

Good morning Family & Friends

As some of you know this will be the Morris High School Robotics Team's 16th year participating in the FIRST Robotics Competition. FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) is an international high school robotics competition. Each year, teams of high school students and mentors work during a six week period to build game-playing robots that weigh up to 120 pounds. 

Three weeks ago the students finished building their 2015 robot and will be competing this Saturday and Sunday in the NYC FIRST Robotics Regional at the Javits Center. This will mark our 15th consecutive year competing in the NYC Regional.  Two weeks later the team will travel to Rochester, NY to compete in the Finger Lakes FIRST Regional on the campus of Rochester Institute of Technology.

While our team has had many accomplishments and awards over the years (see below) I am most proud of the impact that the robotics program has on the student’s life, including building their appreciation of science and technology.

Thanks to the financial support from our corporate sponsors, alumni and friends of Morris, the students have travelled and competed in Florida, Georgia, Texas, Ohio,Virginia, Connecticut, New Jersey, Missouri, Pennsylvania and Washington D.C. 

 

Warm regards,

Gary

PS. I want to share a letter I received recently from the NY Yankees. In addition to financially supporting our team over the last 14 years the NY Yankees will once again honor the team on the field on June 5 at a ceremony prior to the game between the California Angels and the Yankees.

 

 

HIGHLIGHTS: Morris H.S Campus FIRST Robotics Team (2000-2014) 

• New Jersey  FIRST Regional 2000 Judges Award
• FIRST Robotics Presidential Classroom Scholarship 2000
• NASA / FIRST Robotics Grant 2001
• NASA/  FIRST Robotics Grant 2002
• NASA/VCU South Atlantic FIRST 2003 Robotics Regional Winner
• NASA/VCU South Atlantic FIRST 2003 Imagery Winner
• New York City FIRST 2002 Robotics Xerox Creativity
• New York City FIRST 2003 Robotics Engineering and Inspiration Winner
• New York City FIRST 2004 Robotics Chairman’s Award Winner
• New York City FIRST 2004 Robotics Regional Finalist
• New York City FIRST 2005 Robotics Regional Winner
• New York City FIRST 2005 Judges Award
• New York City FIRST 2006 Robotics Regional Winner
• New York City FIRST 2006 Judges Award
• New York City FIRST 2007 Quarterfinalists
• New York City FIRST 2008 Semifinalists
• New York City FIRST 2008 General Motors Industrial Design Award
• New York City FIRST 2008 FIRST Outstanding Volunteer Award 
• New York City FIRST 2009 Semifinalists
• New York City FIRST 2010 Quarterfinalists
• New York City FIRST 2011 Robotics Regional Winner
• New York City FIRST 2011 Robotics Xerox Creativity
• New York City FIRST 2011 Woodie Flowers Award
• Pittsburgh FIRST 2005 Robotics Regional Winner
• Pittsburgh FIRST 2005 Judges Award
• Pittsburgh FIRST 2006 Robotics Regional Winner
• Pittsburgh FIRST 2006 Robotics Engineering and Inspiration Winner
• Pittsburgh FIRST 2007 Quarterfinalists
• Florida FIRST 2008 Semifinalists
• Philadelphia FIRST 2009 Robotics Regional Winner
• Philadelphia FIRST 2010 Semifinalists
• Philadelphia FIRST 2011 Quarterfinalists
• Philadelphia FIRST 2011 Team Spirit Award
• FIRST Robotics Championship competition Houston Texas 2003
• FIRST Robotics Championship competition Atlanta Georgia 2004
• FIRST Robotics Championship competition Atlanta Georgia 2005
• FIRST Robotics Championship competition Atlanta Georgia 2006
• FIRST Robotics Championship competition Atlanta Georgia 2007
• FIRST Robotics Championship competition Atlanta Georgia 2008
• FIRST Robotics Championship competition Atlanta Georgia 2009
• FIRST Robotics Championship competition St. Louis 2011

 

• Tribute March 17, 2003 to the Morris Robotics Team on the Floor of The House of Representatives in Washington D.C
• Bronx Borough proclaims March 26, 2003 Morris High School Robotics Day
• Team Presented with Medal by Secretary Colin L. Powell September 2002
• Robotics team honored on the Floor of the State Assembly in Albany 2003,2004
• The New York Yankees honor the Morris team on the field at Yankee Stadium 2002,2003,2004,2005,2006,2007,2008,2009,2010,2011,2012,2013,2014
• The New York Yankees honor the Morris team at the groundbreaking ceremony at the new Yankee Stadium August 2006
• Represented all New York City Robotics teams in the Bronx Day Parade 2003,2004,2005,2006, 2009, 2010,2011
• Appearances at the Liberty Science Center in New Jersey 2003, 2004
• Saluted on radio as “Hometown Heroes” on WINS 1010 June, 2003

·    Featured in a 2003 award winning FIRST Robotics Showtime Documentary

·    Top prize at the Bronx Business & Technology Expo 2003

·    Featured in a 2004 Documentary on National Cable TECH TV

·         Appearance with Dean Kamen at the  2004 Annual New York Times Talk Series

·    Appearances on Good Morning America, BronxTalk Prime Time Live, Bronx Talk AM, News 12 Bronxnet, NY 1, Fox News, Telemundo and WNBC

·    Articles written about the team in New York Times, Amsterdam News, New York Daily News, Bronx Times,  Richmond Times, Uptown Express, Columbia Engineering, United Federation of Teacher’s newspaper, FIRST Robotics Newsletter and Bronx Beat

·    Team captain participated in 2003 Antarctica expedition

·    Team member selected to participate in 2004 Antarctica expedition

·    Team featured in July 2005 article in Popular Mechanics

·    Team appears on Telemundo Television program June 2006

·    Team appears at Sony Wonder Technology Lab in 2006

·    Team participates at the NextFest Conference Javits Center Sept. 2006

·    Team captain participated in 2006 Antarctica expedition

·    Team participates at Gagetoff at Liberty Science Center Sept. 2007

·    Team featured in Imagine it! Documentary 2008

·    Team featured in Forbes Magazine article 2009

·    Team featured in Popular Science article 2009

·    Team featured in Neal Bascomb Book “The New Cool” 2009

·    Team appears at Sony Wonder Technology Lab in 2011

·    Team featured in NY Daily News article 2011

·    Team featured in ESPN the Magazine 2011

·    Team appeared on Channel 5 Teen News September 2011

·    Team appeared at the NY Maker Faire September 2011

·    Team appeared at the NY Maker Faire September 2014