Robotics program receives state technology grant

The goal of the partnership is to increase interest in math, science and engineering at the middle school level. Techpoint Foundation awarded a $10,000 Techpoint Partners for Youth matching grant to support the For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology, or FIRST program. Purdue is a member of Techpoint, Indiana's statewide technology trade group. Purdue's FIRST program is matching the grant.

"Techpoint Foundation is pleased to support this innovative partnership between Purdue students and faculty and the Lafayette School Corp.," said Rip Taggart, executive director of Techpoint Foundation. "This project provides an outstanding example of organizations and volunteers working together to help Indiana's youth gain the 21st century skills they need to be successful."

One of the goals of the robotics competition is to increase interest in science and math for students in the K-12 classroom.

"Indiana has experienced a decrease in the number of students entering engineering, science and technology careers, and partnering with Purdue on projects such as Engineering Projects in Community Service (EPICS) and FIRST has provided additional avenues to teach children," said Roger Francis, vice principal of Lafayette Jefferson High School and an adviser for the Lafayette robotics team. "This grant will help us enhance the math and science classes in the middle school grade levels using robotics as a tool to learn practical, hands-on applications of math and science."

The grant will provide funding for projects such as an after-school club program through the school corporation and workshops to supplement the seventh-grade math curriculum at Tecumseh Middle School.

"The Purdue FIRST Programs has partnered with Jefferson High School for the past two years through the FIRST Robotics program at Jefferson," said Carolyn Percifield, adviser for the Purdue FIRST program. "This partnership has enabled Purdue engineering students to mentor and provide leadership for high school students."

The Purdue FIRST programs started in 1999 through a partnership between the Purdue Student Engineering Foundation and the West Lafayette Community School Corp.

FIRST combines science and technology to create unique "sporting" events where robots, directed by the high school students, perform human-like tasks, such as shooting a ball toward a goal. The participating high school students work with professional engineers and high school and college teachers to design, build and test a robot in just six weeks to compete in regional robotic competitions across the nation. The winners of the regional events advance to an annual international championship.

Purdue has held the FIRST Robotics Regional Competition on its campus for the past two years bringing in about 35 teams from around the nation for the event. The Purdue FIRST Programs expanded in 2005 to include schools in the Lafayette School Corp.

The EPICS program has partnered with administrative and teaching staff in the school corporation for the past six years. Successful EPICS programs include an information-technology program to help the schools in the corporation and an automated locker opener to help provide easier locker access for disabled students.

Techpoint Foundation provides volunteer services and financial support to community-based technology programs that help Indiana's at-risk children improve their chances for academic, social and vocational success. In 2005, through support of Lilly Endowment, Techpoint Foundation provided more than $90,000 in Partners for Youth grants to partnerships among Techpoint member organizations and K-12 educational institutions.

Writer: Cynthia Sequin, (765) 494-4192, csequin@purdue.edu

Sources: Carolyn Percifield, (765) 494-5343, carolynp@purdue.edu

Rip Taggart, (317) 850-9905, rip@TechpointFoundation.org

Roger Francis, (317) 772-4700, rfrancis@lsc.k12.in.us

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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