Raytheon offers FIRST scholarships enabling future engineers to pursue science and engineering excellence
Teams will be showcased on an international stage and will partner with and compete against their peers from around the world. This support is part of Raytheon's commitment to science, technology, engineering and math education through its MathMovesU program, which continues to inspire young people from middle school to high school to be science and engineering leaders.
For more than 10 years, Raytheon engineers throughout the U.S. have mentored teams of 10- to 20- high school students to design and build remote-controlled robots for the FIRST Robotics Competition. To help students discover how interesting the life of engineers can be, Raytheon engineers contribute hands-on guidance and encouragement as teams prepare for regional and national competitions. In 2008, Raytheon supported more than 30 teams at FRC regional competitions, including the 11 teams heading to the FRC championship.
In addition, Raytheon has established a scholarship program to assist FIRST Robotics team members and competitors who plan to continue their education in college as math, science or technology majors. It is the only FIRST corporate scholarship that gives students the freedom to apply the scholarship to the universities of their choice. The Raytheon FIRST scholarship consists of 40 annual $1,000 scholarships, which students can re-apply for in subsequent years. Applications for the 2008 scholarship are available through April 30, 2008, and can be found at: https://www.scholarshipamerica.org/firstrobotics.
Alongside the FIRST Robotics Competition, Raytheon sponsors teams involved with the FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) and FIRST LEGO(R) League (FLL), aiming to reach more young people to ignite and sustain the enthusiasm for science, technology and engineering. The FTC is a second high school robotics competition within FIRST tailored for students excited about robotics, but who are seeking more accessible and affordable robotics kits. FLL is a global robotics program targeted at kids ages 9 to 14.
"To reverse the decline of interest in areas such as math and science in young people and develop a pipeline of innovative engineers in the U.S., it's important to contribute to education initiatives such as FIRST," said Kristin Hilf, Raytheon vice president of community relations and corporate giving. "As part of MathMovesU, Raytheon is proud to provide funding and resources that enable FIRST Robotics Competition teams an innovative and hands-on experience to apply their math and science skills. We congratulate all the teams that competed in the FRC regional events and look forward to cheering on the 11 teams heading to the FRC championship."
Raytheon's MathMovesU program engages students from middle school to high school in various interactive programs, from virtual worlds to mentor-based programs, fostering excitement in science, technology, engineering and math.
About MathMovesU
MathMovesU was created by Raytheon to encourage students to realize their math potential and reinforce their math skills through an interactive website, events and scholarships.
www.MathMovesU.com educates and entertains through games and activities that showcase the math behind students' favorite pastimes. The site engages kids on their own terms, encourages them to invite their friends, interact with on-line characters, and compete in contests centered on music, fashion and sports. Since the program's inception in November, 2005, MathMovesU has awarded more than $2 million in grants and scholarships to students, teachers and schools.
About Raytheon
Raytheon Company, with 2007 sales of $21.3 billion, is a technology leader specializing in defense, homeland security and other government markets throughout the world. With a history of innovation spanning 86 years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration and other capabilities in the areas of sensing; effects; and command, control, communications and intelligence systems, as well as a broad range of mission support services. With headquarters in Waltham, Mass., Raytheon employs 72,000 people worldwide.
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