East Hampton Robotics Wins FIRST Long Island Rookie All-Star Award

The Bonac Bots, a newly formed robotics team from East Hampton High School, earned the Rookie All-Star Award during their first-ever competition at the FIRST Long Island Regional. The event took place at Hofstra University from March 18 to March 21, 2026.

The team competed with a robot named the Claminator, which was designed to intake balls and shoot them at targets to score points. In a field of 48 schools, the Bonac Bots placed 27th overall.

Technical Development and Design

The Claminator was developed following instructions provided to all competing teams in January 2026. The robot’s primary function involved a mechanism capable of both collecting balls and launching them toward specific targets.

The construction of the robot stood in contrast to many of the established teams at the regional event. While many seasoned programs utilized custom machines made from carbon fiber, aluminum, and steel, the Bonac Bots entered the competition with a robot described as being made of wood.

The team’s effort was led by student leadership, including senior Lauren Rosario, who serves as the vice president and student coach for the Bonac Bots. Rosario represented the team during evaluations by the FIRST Long Island Robotics judges.

Funding and Mentorship

The project was supported by a community-based fundraising effort rather than corporate sponsorship. This distinguished the Bonac Bots from other competitors who were often funded by big businesses or technology firms.

The team was guided by two faculty mentors from East Hampton High School:

• Urban Reininger, the high school computer science and coding teacher.
• Trevor Gregory, a teacher of architecture, design, and woodworking.

The disparity in resources was evident during the arrival at the Hofstra University loading dock on March 18, 2026. While established teams arrived with trailers and box trucks to transport their equipment, the Bonac Bots’ mentors transported their robot in personal vehicles.

When you look at the other teams out there, they were often funded by a technology firm or big business and our funding is all from the community. It was really a community fund-raising effort that got us where we are.

Urban Reininger

The whole time, I kind of felt like the Jamaican bobsled team in “Cool Runnings.” We’re rolling in there with our wooden robot and they’re all custom machines and carbon fiber, aluminum, and steel. It was pretty incredible to see where we were compared to those established teams with their funding who have been doing this for years.

Trevor Gregory

Competition Outcomes

Despite being a rookie program on a limited budget, the Bonac Bots were recognized by judges for their technical promise and a clear vision for future growth. The Rookie All-Star Award highlights the team’s commitment to innovation, outreach, and teamwork.

The 27th place finish out of 48 teams serves as a benchmark for the newly formed program as it transitions from its inaugural competition into a more established robotics entity within the East Hampton School District.