Arizona, Illinois, Indiana and Michigan FIRST Robotics Teams, Students Gear Up for Competition with $230,000 from The Chrysler Foundation

December 15, 2014 , Auburn Hills, Mich. -  The Chrysler Foundation today announced more than $230,000 in grants to support students participating in FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) (grades 9-12) and FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) (grades 7-12) programs in Arizona, Illinois, Indiana and Michigan. In total, The Chrysler Foundation will distribute 47 grants to help young people discover and develop a passion for science, technology, engineering and math.   

VIDEO: Students share their FIRST experiences – http://youtu.be/IppTdkRcoXs.

“Chrysler Group’s ability to compete and succeed in the future depends in part upon our ability to maintain the pipeline of students that pursue STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) careers,” said John Nigro, Head of NAFTA Product Development – Chrysler Group LLC.  “The real-world experience that students gain through their participation in FIRST is invaluable in preparing students for the future.”    

The Chrysler Foundation grants – ranging from $750 to $5,000 per team – will enable an estimated 1,100 middle and high school students to participate in regional and district competitions. Subsequently, The Chrysler Foundation will award a total of $21,000 in grants to teams that advance to the 2015 FIRST Championship, April 22-25, 2015 in St. Louis, MO. 

“The Chrysler Foundation is proud to play a role in helping students discover the rewards and excitement of education and careers in science, technology, engineering and math,” said Jody Trapasso, Senior Vice President - External Affairs, Chrysler Group LLC and President of The Chrysler Foundation. “We are equally proud of our employees who generously give their time and skills to help mentor students and serve as competition coordinators.”  

The Chrysler Foundation awarded a $5,000 grant to each of the following FRC teams:
Format: School(s) – Team Name, Team Number

Arizona  
Kingman High School – Bionic Bulldogs, 60                                      
 
Illinois
Belvidere, Belvidere North & North Boone High Schools – Flaming Monkeys 4-H Robotics Club, 3352      
 
Indiana
Northwestern High School (Kokomo) – CyberTooth, 3940           
Western High School (Russiaville) – Panthertech, 292                   
 
Michigan
Almont High School – Shock and Awe-sum, 4961
Ann Arbor Huron High School – The RatPack, 830
Berkley, Hazel Park and Shrine Catholic High Schools – Da Bears, 247
Birmingham Seaholm and Birmingham Groves High Schools – Automation Nation, 2960
Bishop Foley Catholic High School (Madison Heights) – The Foley Freeze, 910
Bloomfield Hills High School – Bionic Black Hawks, 2834
Brandon and Holly High Schools – Truck Town Thunder, 68
Capac Community Schools – Metal and Soul, 2604
Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School (Marine City) – RoboSapiens, 4779
Chelsea High School – Technical Difficulties, 1502
Dundee High School – Dundee Vi-Borgs, 4395
Genesee Robotics Area Youth Team (Fenton) – GRAYT, 1322
Goodrich High School – Martians and More Martians, 494 and 70 (Note: Teams will share a single $5,000 grant)
Grand Blanc High School – EngiNERDs, 2337
Hartland High School – Electro Eagles, 3536
Imlay City High School – Spartronics, 5048
Lake Orion High School – The Dragons, 302
Lapeer County Ed-Tech – Galaktech Invaders, 3535
Linden High School – RoboEagles, 3568
Macomb Academy of Arts and Sciences (Armada) – Fighting Pi, 1718
Marysville High School – ViBots, 5167
Notre Dame Preparatory (Auburn Hills) – Killer Bees, 33
Oakland Tech Northeast (Pontiac) – The Juggernauts, 1
OSMTech Academy at Clarkston High School – Team RUSH, 27
Our Lady of the Lakes High School (Waterford) – Lakers, 5053
Oxford Community Schools (Oxford) – TORC, 2137
Pontiac High School – The Wings of Fire, 51
Rochester Adams and Stoney Creek High Schools (Rochester Hills) – Adambots, 245
Rochester High School (Rochester Hills) – The FEDS, 201
Skyline High School (Ann Arbor) – Eagle Imperium, 3322
South Lake High School (St. Clair Shores) – The Mighty CavBots, 5214
South Lyon Community Schools and South Lyon Robotics – The Flying Toasters, 3641
Southeastern High School of Technology (Detroit) – JungleBots, 4851
Stevenson, Henry Ford II and Utica High Schools – Crevolution, 2851
Walled Lake Schools – The Monsters, 308
Warren Consolidated Schools – Steel Armadillos, 818
Waterford Kettering High School – The Captains, 3098
 
The Chrysler Foundation awarded a $750 grant to each of the following FTC teams (all in Michigan):
Bloomfield Hills Middle School – Mechanical Monkeys, 7047
Home Middle School (Fenton) – Lightning Boltz, 5954                     
Life Learning Community School (Ann Arbor) – The GearCats, 7305                                                
Linden Middle School – Battle Blazers, 7031                                    
Our Lady of the Lakes (Waterford) – OLL Laker Bots, 8133          
 
Additionally, FIRST in Michigan will receive a $2,500 grant to support its FIRST LEGO League program, which introduces students (grades 4-8) to the fun and excitement of science and technology.
 
Additional facts about The Chrysler Foundation’s support of FIRST:

• In 2014, The Chrysler Foundation awarded grants to 41 U.S. and Canadian-based robotics teams.
  • 34 of those teams were based in the United States: 1 in Arizona; 1 in Illinois; 2 in Indiana; and 30 in Michigan, which led the nation in the number of registered FIRST Robotics Teams;
  • 14 of the 41 teams sponsored by The Chrysler Foundation (12 Michigan and 2 Canadian teams) qualified to compete in 2014 FIRST Championship. Overall, 400 teams competed in the FIRST Championship;
    • Team RUSH, CSM Tech Academy and Clarkston High School, Clarkston, Mich., received the prestigious Championship Chairman’s Award. Camron Razdar, a member of Team RUSH, was one of 10 National Dean’s List Winners.
  • 70 U.S.-based Chrysler Group employees served as FRC team mentors; employees also supported regional and district events as competition coordinators and event volunteers. 
• Since 1995, The Chrysler Foundation, a FIRST Founding Sponsor, has invested more than $2.3 million to support FIRST programs in the United States and Canada.
•  Go “Inside the Hive” with the Killer Bees FRC team – read “Dream Factory” (http://bit.ly/1v3AxpH) on ChryslerGroup360.com.

About The Chrysler Foundation
The Chrysler Foundation, the charitable arm of Chrysler Group LLC, has established a proud legacy of empowering people and investing in local communities. The Chrysler Foundation focuses its support on four key areas: Education: K-12 and post-secondary education initiatives that encourage the study and pursuit of careers in business, design, science, technology, engineering, mathematics or supply-chain management; Military: support for the nation’s service members and their families in need; Multicultural / Diversity: initiatives that promote inclusion and advancement opportunities for diverse populations; and Youth Development: organizations and programs that provide mentoring and related assistance to aid youth in the transition to adulthood.
 
Since its inception in 1953, The Chrysler Foundation has awarded more than $500 million in charitable grants.