BERLIN, Conn. – March 19, 2012 – Twenty-four high school teams from Connecticut Light & Power (CL&P) and Yankee Gas' service territories have been awarded a total of $15,500 in grants to help fund their efforts in the upcoming 2012 FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics Competition Northeast Utilities FIRST Connecticut Regional. In January, teams were invited to apply for the grants.
"It is really exciting to see that the teams are from all over the state," said Jim Muntz, president and chief operating officer, CL&P. "These are students who see the value in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. These are skills that are vital to this country's future."
Applications were judged on team diversity, what types of fundraising the teams were involved with, how these teams have helped mentor other FIRST Robotics teams, and commitment and involvement in community service.
Seven teams have each been awarded $1,000 grants and the remaining 17 are each getting $500 grants. The recipients are:
$1,000, Birds of Prey - Hartford Public High School and Pathways to Technology Magnet School, Hartford
$1,000, The Cyberknights, Southington High School
$1,000, Operation PEACCE Robotics, Explorations Charter School, Winsted and Thomaston High School
$1,000, Gus Robotics, Inc., Maloney High School, Meriden, Platt High School, Meriden and Wilcox Technical High School, Meriden
$1,000, Nuts and Bolts of Fury - John F. Kennedy High School, Waterbury
$1,000, The Junkyard Battalion - E.C. Goodwin Vocational Technical School, New Britain
$1,000, Robotics and Gadget Engineering (R.A.G.E.) - East Hartford High School, Rockville High School, Connecticut IB Academy, East Hartford, Tolland High School and Manchester home-schooled students
$500, The DiscoTechs, Brookfield High School
$500, Northwestern Robotics Gearheads, Northwestern Regional School District No. 7, Winsted
$500, Apple Pi Robotics, Guilford High School, Branford High School and Madison High School
$500, Robocats - Bacon Academy, Colchester
$500, The Dragons - University High School of Science and Engineering, Hartford
$500, Sim-City, Simsbury High School
$500, The Gaelhawks - Shelton High School
$500, Ledyard Cyber Colonels - Ledyard High School
$500, South Windsor High Bobcat Robotics, South Windsor High School
$500, Team Paragon - Windsor High School, Howell Cheney Technical High School, Manchester, Public Safety Academy, Enfield and Metropolitan Learning Center, Bloomfield
$500, The UberBots - Avon High School
$500, Granby Grunts, Granby Memorial High School
$500, Team Beta, Nonnewaug High School, Regional School District No. 14, Woodbury
$500, Mercy TechTigers, Mercy High School, Middletown
$500, Techno-Nuts, Berlin High School and Catherine McGee Middle School, Berlin
$500, Athena's Warriors, Hall High School, West Hartford, Conard High School, West Hartford, Bloomfield High School, Sport & Medical Sciences Academy, Hartford
$500, FIRST Robotics Team 2168, Robert E. Fitch High School, Groton
Over 1,500 high school students are expected to compete in the 2012 Connecticut FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics Competition, March 29 - 31 at Hartford's Connecticut Convention Center. Northeast Utilities, CL&P and Yankee Gas' parent company, is the title sponsor.
Yankee Gas is Connecticut's largest natural gas distribution company, delivering clean, efficient, safe and reliable natural gas to more than 205,000 customers in 71 cities and towns. Yankee Gas is a Northeast Utilities company (NYSE: NU). For more information, please visit www.yankeegas.com.