Windsor, ON: St. Clair College announced today its donation of $1,000 to each of thirteen (13) local high schools participating in the upcoming Windsor-Essex Robotics Regional Competition being held in Windsor in April 2 – 5, 2014.
On hand to make the cheque presentations was Dr. John Strasser, President of St. Clair College. “It is of the utmost importance to support young people who are willing to embrace competition, especially when it relates to the advancement of science and technology. The principles behind these subjects are what drive our economy and given the level of competition these young people will take part in, I believe our future is in good hands.”
Thirteen local high schools have robotics teams in Windsor-Essex, many of them launched just over the past couple of years. Sandwich Secondary School has had a team since 2006 and technology teacher Lee Awad says this program is a game changer.
“Our team name is the Sabre Bytes #772 which means we were the 772nd team in the world to be formed,” says Awad. “Today there is over 5,000 teams worldwide having this amazing experience getting real world skills. They do exactly what I did when I was in industry, everything from the problem solving and design of the robot to the business, marketing and promotion of the team.”
Awad says students not only learn STEM skills (science, technology, engineering and math) but also business and public speaking skills. “Windsor is diversifying and what better place to start then with the next generation of the workforce.”
Since 2000, St. Clair College has placed considerable focus on the technology and trades sector. With the continued demand for highly skilled professionals in the innovation and technology sector St. Clair College has added three Centres of Excellence to address the growing demand from industry.
In 2003, the college opened the Ford Centre for Excellence in Manufacturing which provided an educational experience that emulated the shop-floor and provided a wide variety of high-tech equipment for students to gain hands-on learning.
In 2009, the College opened the Centre for Construction Innovation and Production with a focus on the skilled trades and in 2010 the Trades & Technology Centre was opened at the Chatham Campus.
This facility ushered in a number of new programs including Sustainable Energy Technician and a Robotics Technician program. This program is moving to the Windsor Campus for September 2014.
Since 2003, more than 2,700 St. Clair College students have graduated from such programs as Mechanical Engineering Technology – Mechatronics, Manufacturing Engineering Technology, CAD/CAM, Industrial Millwright, Power Engineering Technology and Automotive Product Design to name a few.
This commitment to the science and technology sector goes beyond academics by providing financial support through specially designed scholarships. In May 2013, St. Clair College became the first College in the Province of Ontario to offer high school students a $1,000 tuition scholarship for participating in the Skills Canada – Ontario Technological Skills Competition in Waterloo.
In October 2013 the College extended that scholarship to include any Grade 11 or Grade 12 student competing in the Windsor-Essex Robotics Regional Competition. The application for students to complete in order to receive these scholarships will be on the College’s web site at www.stclaircollege.ca.
For information please contact:
Ann Hetherington
Director of Marketing & Student Recruitment
519-972-2775
519-819-2066
WINDSOR-ESSEX HIGH SCHOOLS RECEIVING A $1,000 DONATION FOR THEIR ROBOTICS TEAM
- Assumption Catholic High School
- Belle River District High School
- Cardinal Carter Catholic High School
- Ecole secondaire Michel-Gratton
- Harrow District High School
- Holy Names Catholic High School
- Maranatha Christian Academy
- Sandwich Secondary School
- Sandwich Teen Action Group (Century & Forster)
- St. Joseph’s Catholic High School
- Tecumseh Vista Academy
- Vincent Massey Secondary School
- Walkerville Secondary School
St. Clair College 2000 Talbot Road West, Windsor, ON N9A 6S4 www.stclaircollege.ca
