An Anson County robotics team, the RoboWolves, has received a $2,000 grant from the Duke Energy Foundation/FIRST North Carolina Fund.
Founded by inventor Dean Kamen, who introduced the IBOT Mobility System and the Segway Human Transporter, FIRST was created to inspire an appreciation of science and technology in young people, their schools, and their communities. The FIRST Robotics Competition anticipates more than 3,500 teams in the U.S. and 24 countries to compete in more than 130 events around the world. More than 1,000 students will compete at the FIRST North Carolina State Championship to earn a spot at the FIRST World Championship to be held April 18-22 at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas.
“FIRST isn’t about competing, it’s about cooperating, and recognizing that if you have the right tools, you’ll be able to make this world a better place for yourself and for the country,” said Kaemn, president of DEKA Research and Development and the founder of FIRST, adding “There is no stimulus package that will have as much return as stimulating a bunch of kids to become the workforce of the future, the problem solvers, the creators of the future.”
“We are grateful to Duke Energy for these funds,” said Jodi Davis, mentor. “With them we get to take students from our rural community and immerse them in 21st century competition. The skills and experiences they gain there are priceless.”
“We are excited to support your work inspiring the next generation of Duke Energy employees and customers,” said David McNeill, district manager for Duke Energy. “Thank you for all your doing to coach the RoboWolves, and to support education in Anson County.”
This season, participating FIRST students are eligible to apply for more than $50 million in scholarships being made available by nearly 200 scholarship providers.
Over a six-week timeframe, students work with professional engineering mentors to design a robot that solves a problem using a kit of parts and a standard set of rules. Once these young inventors create the robot, their teams participate in two district events that measure the effectiveness of each robot, the power of collaboration, and the determination of students.