Hometown Hero: Sachin Kamath brings robotics clubs to East Islip schools

An East Islip teen with a love for robotics is introducing the futuristic field to elementary-age children in his district.

Sachin Kamath, a freshman at East Islip High School, recently led efforts to launch robotics clubs at John F. Kennedy Elementary School and Ruth C. Kinney Elementary School — both in the East Islip School District. He got the idea through his previous involvement in a community robotics team that incorporated Legos, he said.

Sachin, a member of Boy Scout Troop 205 in East Islip, tackled the task as part of his Eagle Scout Award, the highest achievement attainable within the Boy Scouts of America. His Eagle Scout Court of Honor was Nov. 19.

“My friends and I learned a plethora of skills from that robotics program, and I thought I should probably share them with other people,” Sachin, 14, said. “When it came time to choose what my Eagle Scout project would be, I was thinking, ‘Why don’t I put this into the schools?’  ”

To launch the two clubs, Sachin said he reached out to the school board and presented his idea at several of their meetings last school year. The board members approved funding for the Lego robotics clubs and appointed teachers at the elementary schools to act as advisers, he said.

Through a donation from the For the Kids Foundation of East Islip, Sachin next secured large wooden tabletops on which the robots maneuver. He also mentored the club advisers, including on the rules of competition and how to program the robots.

Sachin said his goal was to give children an opportunity to enjoy the many experiences that come with the world of robotics. “It’s public speaking, engineering, programming — all of that,” he said. “All the skills that I’ve learned are amazing, and I got to make some great friends.”

Carol Wilson, a co-adviser for the Lego robotics club at Kinney, said its 18 members have been building six robots during their weekly meetings.

“The beauty of a robotics club is that it gives students the opportunity to work together as teams to problem-solve, design, collaborate, create and build robots, and then later code them,” said Wilson. Of Sachin, she said: “If there is any troubleshooting we need, he is always there and available for us. He . . . is a student who will definitely be able to go far in the future.”

East Islip school board president Michael Dorgan also praised Sachin for his efforts fostering opportunities for science, technology, engineering and math — also known as STEM — among his peers.

“Sachin recognized how impactful this program is for developing critical thinking, teamwork, and innovation, and we are grateful for his dedication to expanding these opportunities,” Dorgan said. “His efforts exemplify the values of both scouting and our district’s commitment to inspiring growth together.”

By Michael R. Ebert

michael.ebert@newsday.com

Michael R. Ebert is an education researcher and has worked for Newsday in various capacities since 2003. He was part of an 11-person team named as 2008 Pulitzer Prize finalists for investigative coverage of the LIRR's platform safety issues.