Windsor, Ontario (June 27, 2017) – Five high school graduates will receive $1000 towards their post-secondary education from bursaries established by Windsor-Essex FIRST Robotics – the local organizing arm for FIRST Robotics Canada.

The annual bursaries are made possible through a generous contribution from the South Western Ontario Industry Education Council (SWOIEC).

“These bursaries will help empower our young people to build their future and in turn build the future prosperity of our communities,” says Yvonne Pilon, President and CEO of WEtech Alliance – a Regional Innovation Centre that has spearheaded the growth of FIRST Robotics in Windsor-Essex.

Five bursaries are named in honour of James Broom and Spencer James – a student and mentor of FIRST Robotics teams at Maranatha Christian Academy and Belle River High School respectively – who recently passed away.

“Both James and Spencer inspired the people around them, and we established this bursary to honour that legacy,” says Larry Koscielski, VP of Process and Technology Development at CenterLine and Chair of Windsor Essex FIRST Robotics.

The following students from the following high schools received bursaries to attend the following post-secondary institutions:

1. Hunter Thorne, Westview Freedom Academy (Team 6202), University of Windsor, BA Combined Honours History and Greek and Roman Studies
2. Christopher Nardone, St. Thomas of Villanova Catholic High School (Team 5885), University of Windsor, Electrical Engineering
3. Hannah Iacobelli, Cardinal Carter Catholic Secondary School (Team 4932), Ryerson University, Biomedical Engineering
4. Andrew Drury, St. Thomas of Villanova Catholic High School (Team 5885). University of Waterloo, Mechatronics Engineering
5. Zahra Mouhammad, Hon. W. C. Kennedy Collegiate Institute (Team 4508), Trent/Swansea, Law and Arts Dual Degree

FIRST Robotics is an international high-school robotics program wherein teams of twenty to thirty students work alongside professional mentors to dream up, design and build 120 pound robots that compete in an arena.

Four years ago there was only one high school robotics team and one FIRST Lego League team operating at the grade school level.

Today, there are 18 high school and over 60 grade school robotics teams competing in Windsor-Essex and Kent Counties.  Over 1,000 students were involved in FIRST in our area this year.

Windsor is also home to the Windsor Essex Great Lakes District Event – which each year draws 1500 high school students from across North America.

Fun Fact: Detroit will host the FIRST Robotics Global Championship in 2018.

 

 

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For further information, please contact:

Larry F. Koscielski

Chair, Windsor Essex FIRST Robotics

lfk@cntrline.com 519-816-3265