I wanted to share with you an article published in the Utica O-D:

A group of Herkimer students took a hard look at their trash management at school.

A group of Herkimer students took a hard look at their trash management at school.

Eighth-grader Alyssa Scanlon and her robotics team laid out the three problems they decided to tackle this year. - Stop organic waste from entering landfills. - Stop using Styrofoam trays in the cafeteria because they are hazardous and pack landfills. - Stop wasting food.

"So we started a compost bin at Herkimer High School with the Garden Club," the 13-year-old said, standing in front of her team's project at the FIRST Tech Challenge Regional Robotics Championships Saturday. "We're hoping the seventh-grade Advisory Club will continue to take care of the compost. However, we weren't able to replace the Styrofoam trays at this time because it's too expensive. Our principal said he's going to continue looking into it."

She said they also started a donation table for kids who don't eat their unopened cookies or chips to donate to less fortunate students.

That was just one project of more than 25 teams at SUNY Polytechnic Institute's Wildcat Field House for the championships. Qualifying teams have successfully advanced from preliminary competitions around New York state.

This year's theme is "Trash Trek," a challenge to solve real-world problems associated with refuse and recycling.

"The thing I love about this and the projects kids come up with, is that they don't know 'no' or 'that won't work,'" said Emcee Jack Kenfield of Connecticut. "If you give them a task, they're going to find a way. It may take them some time, and it might take some adults to keep them on track, but they will figure it out."

The event continues Sunday as FTC teams, comprised of students age 14 and older, participate in the "RES-Q" challenge and design, and program and deploy robots to compete in rescue-style missions. Events begin at 10 a.m.

Follow @OD_Scott on Twitter or call her at 792-5037.

Updated Jan 16, 2016 at 4:19 PM