Delphi-Sponsored Students Win Awards and Scholarship Money During National Robotics Competition

TROY, Mich., May 2 /PRNewswire/ -- It's a small world after all. Imagine more than 20,000 high school students, teachers, parents and fans with an interest in engineering, math and science all under one roof -- at Disney's Epcot(R) Center in Orlando, Fla. Delphi Corp. (NYSE:DPH) sponsored six high school teams at the 2002 FIRST National Robotics Competition held there over the weekend, where one of Delphi's teams walked away with an award for technical excellence and a Delphi-sponsored student left with a college scholarship.

FIRST, For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology, is a non-profit organization that pairs businesses and universities with schools to inspire students to pursue engineering, science and technology professions. The FIRST annual robotics competition immerses high school students in the exciting world of engineering by challenging them to design and build robots that must complete specified tasks while partnered with other teams.

A participant for all 11 years of the FIRST Robotics program, the TechnoKats, from Kokomo (Ind.) High School, earned the Autodesk Honorable Mention Award for Technical Excellence. Sponsored by Delphi Delco Electronics Systems, the TechnoKats also took home the national championship in 1998. In addition, Tracy Steen, a senior at Newfane (N.Y.) High School, received a $6,000 scholarship award from Clarkson University in partnership with FIRST. Steen competed on the Circuit Stompers, a team sponsored by Delphi Harrison Thermal Systems.

A FIRST foundation sponsor, Delphi not only sponsored six of the teams at the national competition and 11 teams in regional competitions, but also contributed to scholarships with the Georgia Institute of Technology, Purdue (Ind.) University, the University of Michigan and the University of Dayton. In addition, Donald L. Runkle, Delphi executive vice president and president of Delphi's Dynamics & Propulsion Sector, presented the "Delphi Driving Tomorrow's Technology(TM) Award" to the team with the most elegant and advantageous machine feature at this year's national competition. The award went to team #357 Royal Assault from Upper Darby High School, Drexel Hill, Pa.

"Delphi has been involved with the FIRST Robotics Competition since its inception 11 years ago, and we are very proud to support the program each year," said J.T. Battenberg III, Delphi's chairman, CEO and president, and a FIRST board member. "This program is a way for Delphi to help young people learn about science and technology in a fun, hands-on learning environment, while also investing in our future as a technology leader."

Each of the 291 teams from the United States, Canada, Brazil and Puerto Rico traveled to Florida with their original robots to compete in "Zone Zeal," this year's competition game. The teams were randomly divided into the four divisions, and teams competed within their divisions to advance to the quarterfinals and then the semifinals. Winning teams advanced to the championship. Two Delphi teams advanced to the quarterfinal matches, while one went on to the semifinals.

Delphi teams ranked well in the competition's four divisions. Following are the team rankings:

Archimedes Division:
Team: #45 -- Team: The TechnoKats, Kokomo (Ind.) High School
Sponsored by: Delphi Delco Electronics Systems
Ranking: 5 of 72
Award Winner: Autodesk Honorable Mention Award for Technical Excellence

Team: #47 -- Chief Delphi, Pontiac (Mich.) Central High School
Sponsored by: Delphi Safety & Interior Systems
Ranking: 21 of 72; Quarterfinalist

Team: #868 -- The TechHOUNDS, Delphi-E&C Lithium Battery Systems Group
Carmel (Ind.) High School
Sponsored by: Delphi Energy & Chassis Systems
Ranking: 40 of 72

Curie Division:
Team: #48 -- Delphi ELITE, Warren (Ohio) G. Harding High School
Sponsored by: Delphi Packard Electric Systems
Ranking: 46 of 71; Quarterfinalist and Semifinalist

Team: #902 -- The Robohawks, Saginaw (Mich.) and Heritage High School
Sponsored by: Delphi Saginaw Steering Systems
Ranking: 11 of 71
Newton Division:

Team: #378 -- The Circuit Stompers, Newfane (N.Y.) High School
Sponsored by: Delphi Harrison Thermal Systems
Ranking: 48 of 73
Scholarship Winner: Tracy Steen received a $6,000 per year scholarship award from Clarkson University in partnership with FIRST.

www.delphi.com/vpr

 

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