CHANDLER, Ariz., July 11, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- AZFirst, an
Arizona 501(c)3 organization
supporting FIRST (For Inspiration
and Recognition of Science and Technology)
activities announces a five-year, $90,000 investment to create 15
high-school FIRST Robotics Competition teams in
Arizona. FIRST connects students, educators, the
community and the expanding technology industry in a collaborative
effort to teach students science, technology, engineering and math
(STEM) principles through project-based robot-building that
culminates in a challenging, fast-paced, robotics
competition. In addition, all high-school students who
participate on a FIRST team are eligible to apply for more
than $25 million in scholarship opportunities.
The funding for the AZFirst Arizona Rookie Grants are made up of
$30,000 from AZFirst, $30,000 from the Steve Sanghi Family Foundation,
and $30,000 from a yet to be named
sponsor organization or industry partner. AZFirst is seeking an
additional $30,000 from organizations
interested in supporting STEM initiatives. Steve Sanghi, CEO and Chairman of the Board of
Microchip Technology Inc., has been a long-time supporter of
FIRST programs in Arizona.
He is a past member of the Board of Directors of FIRST and
currently serves as a Senior Advisor. Microchip Technology
Inc. is the Organizing Sponsor for the FIRST Robotics
Competition Regional events in Arizona.
"Our goal is to double the number of high school teams in
Arizona and reach over 100 teams,"
said Steve Sanghi. "The AZFirst
Rookie Grants is a bold initiative to start 15 new teams over the
course of five years and teach them to be sustainable. It's not
just about building robots. The teams learn so many work force
development skills such as project management, team building,
fundraising, presentation skills, critical thinking and working on
a deadline."
The grant will provide a total of $6,000 per team over a period of three years
($3,000 the first year, $2,000 the second year, and $1,000 the third year). Applications for the
grant will be accepted starting August 1,
2016, through October 31,
2016, for year one of the grant, which will be for the 2017
FIRST season. In each of the three years, five rookie teams
will be selected, for a total of 15 new teams over the course of
the grant. The funds will be applied to the team's registration fee
to attend one FIRST Robotics Competition Arizona Regional
event per year during the term of the grant.
"Teams will be asked to provide a business plan and attend a
workshop. Our goal is to teach the teams to be viable so they are
trained and equipped to continue beyond the grant period," said
Carol Popovich, Microchip's STEM
outreach representative, principal investigator for the
AZFirst and the Arizona Rookie Grant and
Arizona FIRST regional
director. "The initial funding is designed to supplement
sponsorship dollars that the teams raise themselves, encouraging
them to build relationships with industry sponsors and mentors. The
AZFirst Arizona Rookie Grants represents a tremendous opportunity
to offer STEM robotics to more teams in Arizona."
For more information about the AZFirst Arizona Rookie
Grants, contact Carol
Popovich at (480) 792-7938 or
carol.popovich@microchip.com.
Resources
High-res image available through Flickr or editorial contact
(feel free to publish):
- FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) Logo:
www.flickr.com/photos/microchiptechnology/5036101421/sizes/l
About FIRST®
Accomplished inventor Dean Kamen founded
FIRST® (For Inspiration and
Recognition of Science and Technology) in 1989 to inspire an
appreciation of science and technology in young people. Based in
Manchester, N.H., FIRST
designs accessible, innovative programs to build self-confidence,
knowledge, and life skills while motivating young people to pursue
opportunities in science, technology, and engineering. With support
from over 200 of the Fortune 500 companies and more than
$25 million in college scholarships,
the not-for-profit organization hosts the
FIRST® Robotics Competition for
students in Grades 9-12; FIRST® Tech
Challenge for Grades 7-12; FIRST®
LEGO® League for Grades 4-8; and
FIRST® LEGO® League Jr.
for Grades K-3. Gracious
Professionalism® is a way of doing things
that encourages high-quality work, emphasizes the value of others,
and respects individuals and the community. To learn more about
FIRST, go to www.firstinspires.org.
About Microchip Technology
Microchip Technology Inc.
(NASDAQ: MCHP) is a leading provider of microcontroller,
mixed-signal, analog and Flash-IP solutions, providing low-risk
product development, lower total system cost and faster time to
market for thousands of diverse customer applications
worldwide. Headquartered in Chandler, Arizona, Microchip offers
outstanding technical support along with dependable delivery and
quality. For more information, visit the Microchip website
at www.microchip.com.
Note: The Microchip name and logo are registered
trademarks of Microchip Technology Incorporated in the U.S.A., and other countries. FIRST and the
FIRST logo are registered trademarks of the United States
Foundation For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and
Technology (FIRST). LEGO® is a registered trademark of The LEGO
Group.
Tags / Keywords: Robot, FIRST, Dean Kamen, technology, science, math,
mathematics, robotics, engineering, education, STEM, Microchip,
MCHP
Editorial
Contact:
|
Reader
Inquiries:
|
Brian
Thorsen
|
1-888-624-7435
|
480-792-7182
|
http://www.microchip.com/FIRST_MP6166
|
brian.thorsen@microchip.com
|
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SOURCE Microchip Technology Inc.