Ross Wilkers
Bechtel has announced that it will sponsor five high school teams from the U.S. and Canada for the 2013 FIRST Robotics Competition World Championship in St. Louis, MO.
During the three-day event starting April 25, the Bechtel-sponsored students will be among 400 teams worldwide competing in the science, technology, engineering and math-related event, according to a Bechtel statement.
The five teams sponsored by the company include Hardin Valley Academy from Knoxville, TN; James Madison High School, Vienna, VA; Lowell High School, San Francisco, CA; Oak Ridge High School, Oak Ridge, TN; and Loyola High School Montreal, Quebec.
Bechtel global manager of corporate affairs Charlene Wheeless said the FRC program promotes student engagement in STEM and “is a smart and creative program that sparks passion in the next generation of engineers.”
Bechtel added that some of its engineers mentored students for technical guidance during the preliminary competition.
During the FRC sporting event, robots designed and built by the students during the March and April regional competitions will be featured.
