Raytheon sponsored a trip to the Farnborough International Air Show near London last week for the winners of the fourth annual Team America Rocketry Challenge. From Statesville Christian School, Statesville, N.C., are (left to right) Michael Goetz, Will Cobb, and Myles Dunlap. (Photo courtesy of AIA). (PRNewsFoto/Raytheon Company) WALTHAM, MA UNITED STATES

    WALTHAM, Mass., July 26, 2006 /PRNewswire/ -- Winners of the Fourth
Annual Team America Rocketry Challenge (TARC) earned a trip to the
Farnborough International Air Show near London last week, courtesy of
Raytheon Company.
    (Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060726/NEW029 )
    The TARC winners -- Myles Dunlap, Will Cobb and Michael Goetz -- are
from Statesville Christian School in Statesville, N.C. They beat 99 other
squads of middle and high school students in the final round of the
contest. Raytheon's sponsorship paid for the students and one adult
chaperone, including air fare, lodging, a company tour, and a TARC champion
recognition dinner.
    "Rewarding the TARC winners with a trip to Farnborough is a reflection
of our commitment to promoting math and science education among young
students," said Raytheon Executive Vice President for Business Development
Thomas M. Culligan. "We hope that activities such as these -- where
students can see real-time the benefit of a solid math and science
education -- will help motivate the winners and all the competitors to
maintain their enthusiasm for math and, ultimately, pursue a career in
aerospace."
    At an Aerospace Industries Association (AIA)-hosted reception July 20,
2006, Pam Wickham, vice president of Corporate Affairs and Communications
for Raytheon, had a special message for the TARC winners: "We're counting
on you to be role models when it comes to math. Math makes a difference.
Math creates opportunities. The effort you put into your studies today --
and the success you've had in this rocketry competition -- can lead to
exciting jobs tomorrow. We hope that you will carry that message back home
to your fellow students to encourage more participation in math and science
going forward."
    Raytheon also hosted the rocketry winners at the Raytheon chalet at the
Farnborough International Air Show on Youth Day, July 21. Youth Day's
purpose was to provide the aerospace industry with the opportunity to
inspire, educate and associate with a wide range of young people and
students from across the U.K. Activities included presentations from test
pilots, scientists, and journalists; a build-a-plane project; and test
spins in aircraft simulators.
    TARC is a joint effort between AIA and the National Association of
Rocketry and is sponsored by NASA, the Defense Department, the Civil Air
Patrol and 39 AIA member companies. About 7,000 students from 678 teams
across the country participated in the qualifying rounds. Since the contest
started in 2003, about 33,000 students have taken part.
    Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN), with 2005 sales of $21.9 billion, is an
industry leader in defense and government electronics, space, information
technology, technical services, and business and special mission aircraft.
With headquarters in Waltham, Mass., Raytheon employs 80,000 people
worldwide.
    Contact:
    Steve Brecken
    781-522-5127

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