On June 10, 2017, the Newfield High School “Roverines” Robotics team was invited to compete against their friends, the Farmingdale Robotics team, at the Port Jefferson Mini Maker Faire. Maker Faire, an event created by Make magazine to "celebrate arts, crafts, engineering, science projects and the Do-It-Yourself mindset," is now observed on a global scale. This Maker Faire in particular, however, was primarily for those living on or near the island, bringing the excitement of STEM home.

Both teams found the friendly competition exciting and refreshing in comparison to the stressful world competition that both teams competed in two months prior. As per the first unspoken rule of robotic competitions, everything that can go wrong will go wrong, and the Maker Faire was no exception. The Roverines, however, were prepared to fix these problems with ease, leaving plenty of time for the public and children to drive the robot. Attendees also had an opportunity to ask any questions they may have on how an individual system works, including the robot’s claw and driving mechanisms.

Maker Faires are an excellent opportunity to connect with other makers and robotics teams, as well as, seeing amazing creations. The Roverines saw Tesla Coils that were programmed to play music, metal sculptures that breathed fire, walking Transformers and much more – including their fair share of 3-D Printers and other robotics teams that participate in a wide variety of competitions. The Roverines immensely enjoyed the experience, and are looking forward to returning next year, after what will be another stressful and highly competitive year.

Editor's Note: The Port Jeff Makerfaire was a “mini” Makerfaire, meaning it was locally organized and run. There are only three maker faires that are nationally managed -- The Bay Area in May, New York in September and Chicago in the fall.

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