HARTFORD, Conn., March 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- United Technologies
Corp. (NYSE: UTX) today announced a new scholarship program to support new
FIRST Robotics Competition teams. The program opens this year for new high-
school teams that have never competed and plan to enter the 2009
Connecticut FIRST Robotics Competition. UTC will grant scholarships to
Connecticut teams during the program's first year, with plans to expand the
program to U.S. locations where the company has a significant presence.
Inventor Dean Kamen founded FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of
Science and Technology) in 1989 to inspire young people's interest and
participation in science and technology. FIRST is a high-school robotics
tournament where teams of students work with teachers and engineering
mentors to complete a major technical design challenge. They compete for
trophies, honors and awards in a spirited competition infused with
"gracious professionalism."
Each year, starting this year, UTC will name five new FIRST Robotics
teams that will receive $17,000.00 grants in support of their competition
activities over three consecutive years. Teams will receive $8,000.00 in
the first year; $6,000.00 in the second year; and $3,000.00 in the third
year. Three of the five winning teams will be from public inner-city
schools. The scholarships defray expenses that the high-school participants
must raise each year for equipment, travel, and entry fees associated with
the rigorous competition. UTC structured the scholarship in three phases to
help teams establish themselves, learn to raise money and manage a budget.
Earlier this year, UTC committed $75,000 to the 2008 UTC Connecticut
FIRST Robotics Competition as a matching grant.
"FIRST inspires the next generation of future engineers, researchers
and finance professionals," said Andrea Doane, UTC Director of Community
Affairs and Corporate Giving. "It is a challenging and passionate
competition that bases success on math, science and engineering skills, as
well as management. All of these skills are vital to continued success at
UTC and other research- based industries, but there is a projected
shortfall in these academic fields."
UTC has contributed approximately $2.6 million to FIRST since 1995 when
the company began sponsoring teams. In 1999 UTC's lead sponsorship helped
establish the Connecticut Regional FIRST Robotics Competition, one of many
regional competitions that take place mainly throughout the United States.
This year the UTC Connecticut Regional FIRST Robotics Competition will host
a competition between 62 teams out of more than 1,500 teams competing
nationwide. UTC employees have volunteered some 27,000 hours annually in
support of FIRST in North America, as mentors and competition organizers.
For more information on the UTC scholarship program, go to http://www.utc.com.
For more information on FIRST, go to http://www.usfirst.org.
United Technologies, based in Hartford, Conn., USA, is a diversified
company providing high technology products and services to the global
aerospace and building industries.
Contact: Kate Robins
(860) 728-7980
http://www.utc.com
SOURCE United Technologies Corp.
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Related links:
http://www.utc.com
http://www.usfirst.org
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CONTACT:
Kate Robins of United Technologies Corp.,
+1-860-728-7980
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