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������Ƶ FIRST Robotics Program to Benefit From General Motors Community Impact Grant

General Motors (GM) has named ������Ƶ as one of eight Genesee County nonprofits to share $270,000 in Community Impact Grants. GM’s Community Impact Grants help address local issues in the communities where the company operates. The grants support GM’s corporate giving social impact pillars of STEM Education and Transportation.

“I am inspired by the impact of the work these eight local nonprofits are doing in our community,” said Jim Gaeschke, plant director at GM’s Flint Metal Center. “STEM education and transportation are important focus areas for GM’s corporate giving program. These organizations help make the Flint-Genesee Region a great place to live and work.”

������Ƶ will use its $20,000 grant to launch three impactful initiatives for the 2024-2025 academic year aimed at empowering students and educators in the field of robotics:

• FIRST Robotics coaches workshop and FIRST Robotics rookie workshop: These hands-on two-day workshops in Kettering’s FIRST Robotics Community Center will guide participants through building a working drivetrain and catapult over two days. During the workshops, educators and coaches will learn to overcome the common challenge of starting new robotics teams by boosting their confidence in building and teaching robotics projects.
• Scholarship and Financial Aid Workshop: ������Ƶ will host this workshop to provide underserved high school students and their families with vital information on funding STEM degrees. This initiative aims to bridge the financial gap by connecting families with resources they may not know are available.
• Installation of a laser cutter and engraver: The new equipment will support the eight FIRST robotics teams from local high schools that build their robots in Kettering’s FIRST Robotic Community Center and Kettering’s VEXU robotics team in prototyping and testing designs faster and more efficiently. The laser cutter will also be available to students attending Kettering’s robotics summer camps.

“It is an honor to receive the GM Community Impact Grant. The generosity of GM enables Kettering to expose students and teachers in underserved schools to the excitement of STEM activities like FIRST, VEX, and Aerial Drone Competitions,” said Kim Schumaker, Director of ������Ƶ’s Robotics Center. “Hands-on workshops will build confidence and equip participants with skills that assist them in starting robotics teams and building competitive robots. Creating teams in the schools allows more students to participate each year and inspires more students to pursue STEM degrees and careers.”

GM’s support of the Flint-Genesee region has totaled more than $7 million since 2019, with Kettering benefiting from this ongoing commitment to local innovation and growth.

For more information on ������Ƶ’s cutting-edge programs and initiatives, visit www.kettering.edu.