Some Resources for Seniors

           Many resources are available to senior citizens. Older people are often homebound, or cannot work and earn money. Many private companies have programs for senior citizens, and state governments provide the most essential necessities.

         One of these programs is the Virtual Senior Center. The Virtual Senior Center is a program that helps senior citizens confined to their home get into the outside world. The program provides senior citizens with a large tablet-like device with a webcam. Some of the activities one could participate in by using the device include discussion groups, museum lectures, and music classes.

         The NYC Department for the Aging supplements seniors with money and healthcare.

Another program supplying money to seniors is Supplemental Security Income, or SSI. This program gives payment to seniors older than 62.

The New York Prescription Saver Card can give discount on almost all medicines, over-the-counter and prescription. Medicare is also incredibly important. At age 65 seniors are eligible for Medicare which helps pay for medical costs.

OATS (Older Adults Technology Services) is a program that helps seniors learns about how to use computers.  This program will make seniors more comfortable using new technology. They have classes all year long in Bronx, Manhattan and Queens. Their website is www.oats.org

By E.R.

John Gallagher NYCityzens’ Senior Partner

                  John and Beatrice Gallagher are neighbors to two of the members of the Brics~2~Bots FLL teams, the NYCityzens and Dragonbotz: Both were born in New York City, are well educated, and have many hobbies and talents. They became our team’s senior partners.

                   John Gallagher is the main senior partner for the NYCityzens. He likes card games, puzzles, traveling and he also enjoys making friends. He worked as an accountant economist. He also agrees that a problem that he faces is homecare. If he had technology in his hands, he said that he would like for technology to mow the grass, turn the light on and off, and that the thermostat could control the temperature. He does not need an assisted walking (at this point in his life), and he would like an electric car priced reasonably for future technology.

By C.P.C.

NYCityzens @ the 2012 Maker Faire

Sept. 30th., our team, the NYCityzens, was invited to the Maker Faire, an annual event that the Hall of Science hosts. Several FIRST teams (FRC, FTC, FLL) gather at the Maker Faire every year to show off their creativity and skills. At the Maker Faire there were many original and imaginative creations and inventions that were simply amazing!

Our team presented our various types of LEGO(R) NXT robots in the later part of the afternoon. We showed our audience how the robots functioned, the various types of sensors and parts used to build the robot, and what the robots were programmed to do. Our team received many impressed expressions, and the girl’s robotics team, that our coach teaches, even got a new member!

We even had an “Interactive Station”, where anybody can interact with our remote control robot and jack-in-the-box robotic device, and we even had a “Guess How Many Legos are in the Jar”, which is a game of strategy and luck.  Two lucky winners won the “Guess How Many Legos are in the Jar”, and they received mini LEGO kits! 

Our team exhibited our Bowling robot and our sister team, Dragonbotz, demonstrated the Chair mission on this year’s  field mat.. The Bowling robot had to complete the bowling mission and ended up balancing one of the Transition bridge on the field. In the Chair mission the robot had to bring part of the chair from the field back to base, and then push the completely built chair under the table on the field. Shockingly, on our very first try/presentation to the audience on how the Bowling robot worked, the robot got a STRIKE, and balanced perfectly on the bridge! People passing by our booth stopped to glance at our robots or chair robot, and they were immediately intrigued. 

Personally, the Maker Faire was a great experience for me, as well as all the other members of the team. I think that we learned to work respectfully and in an orderly fashion with each other more at the Maker Faire. We became more encouraged and determined as more and more people watched our presentation. I feel that our team is now more enthusiastic than ever to try our hardest at the real FLL competitions. Our team impressed many people, and that also motivated the team to work harder as well. Together, we all had lots and lots of fun at the Maker Faire, and had an inspirational time as well. 

by R.K. 

WELCOME: ABOUT US

Hello, we are the NYCityzens team 5086. We are a FLL all-boys team from Brics~2~Bots Academy in Queens. We have five team members named Ryan, Daniel, Elias, Joshua and Corban. FLL stands for FIRST LEGO League. FLL is a LEGO competition that allows kids to use their creativity and imagination to build robots and find a solution to that year’s theme. This year’s theme is Senior Solutions. This theme is based on problems that seniors face in their everyday lives. You are to find a unique solution to senior needs. We will be building and programming robots to complete field missions while researching to find a solution to senior’s issues.

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