Motorola teams up with high school students for National Robo-Gladiator competition

Business Wire, Feb 26, 1996

SCHAUMBURG, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 26, 1996--What do you get when you mix Motorola engineers, a group of teenagers, and a box filled with electronic switches, motors and other supplies?

The answer: A remote controlled "Robo-Gladiator" that will compete against over 90 others in the U.S. FIRST National Championship on April 19-20 at Disney's Epcot Center. This event, which partners corporations, universities and students to encourage the study of engineering, science, and technology, requires students and engineers to design and build a remote-controlled robot from a standard box of parts.

Motorola has partnered with Illinois High School District 214's Rolling Meadows and Wheeling High Schools to get students excited about engineering, science and technology. Their team will be called the Wildstangs, a combination of each high school's mascot name. The U.S. FIRST competition, started five years ago by engineering-entrepreneur Dean Kamen, has been recognized by both former President Bush and President Clinton as a national example of community and school partnerships at work. U.S. FIRST, which stands for United States For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology, encourages U.S. students to study engineering, science and technology. Currently, U.S. students rank 48 of 158 countries in acquired math and science skills.

Each U.S. FIRST partner team is required to build a remote controlled robot from a standardized kit containing electronic devices, motors, and other spare parts. The robots must be able to pick up balls and shoot, push or roll them into an elaborate basketball-hoop type goal. They also must abide by specific weight and other dimensional guidelines. District 214 students will work with Motorola engineers for 6 weeks to complete their robot for the March 28 New England Tournament in Manchester, N.H. The teams will test and fine-tune their robots at this competition, and then head to the April 19-20 U.S. FIRST National Championship at Disney's Epcot Center.

"At Motorola, we recognize the importance of encouraging the study of engineering, science and technology. It is critical that students today learn skills that they can use in the workplace of the 21st century. Our commitment to the U.S. FIRST program is just one more example of Motorola's continuing dedication to education in our community," said Merle L. Gilmore, president and general manager of Motorola's Land Mobile Products Sector, and executive vice president of Motorola Inc.

Motorola has a national commitment to the U.S. FIRST event, with offices in Schaumburg, Plantation, Fla. and Fort Worth, Texas each sponsoring teams for the U.S. FIRST National Competition this year.

As much as Motorola benefits from its involvement with this project, the real winners are the students. The goal of the U.S. FIRST program is to help students learn and grow through exposure to new career opportunities.

"U.S. FIRST is so exciting to work on because we are preparing for a real competition," said Sarah Bachmann, senior at Wheeling High School. "Motorola has given students important responsibilities, not only with the designing and building of the robot, but also with project planning, financial management, marketing, and other important areas that will make our team successful at the competitions."

Administrators and District 214 teachers agree. "The benefits of this partnership are tremendous," says Jack Ashenfelter, superintendent of District 214. "Motorola has taken student participation beyond engineering, science and technology by involving our students in the overall corporate process of decision making, action planning, and marketing. This partnership applies to the corporate world outside the classroom -- something both students and teachers are excited about."

Motorola is one of the world's leading providers of wireless communications, semiconductors, and advanced electronic systems, components, and services. Major equipment businesses include two-way radio, cellular telephone, paging and data communications, personal communications, automotive, defense and space electronics and computers. Motorola semiconductors power communication devices, computers and millions of other products. Motorola's 1995 sales were $27 billion.

Contact Motorola toll-free for additional information at 800/247-2346 or at http://www.mot.com/pressindex.html.

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CONTACT: Motorola

Mike Doheny, 847/576-6931

or

Ill. H.S. District 214

Venetia Miles, 847/437-4600

or

JD&A

Keely Fitzgerald, 312/346-7886