Written on: September 15, 2016 by ICM
FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. – The Bosch Community Fund recently awarded three grants totaling $54,000 to schools and organizations in the Londonderry and Manchester, New Hampshire, area. The grants support science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) and FIRST® Robotics programs in local schools as well as signage for Londonderry Trailways.
“Bosch is especially gratified to support our local community and invest in its youth development,” said Vitor Gregorio, regional president of Bosch Thermotechnology Corp. “Londonderry is a dynamic community striving to develop accessible recreational biking and walking trails. We’ve seen first-hand the positive impact Bosch Community Fund grants have on the young people in our community; how knowledgeable and proud they are about their robotic science projects. These grants have positively enhanced the students’ focus and excitement in STEM-related activities.”
Grants were awarded to the following:
FIRST® Robotics/Manchester School District: This $40,170 grant aids in the progression of three FIRST Robotics programs within 13 Manchester schools: FIRST LEGO® League for eight elementary schools, FIRST Tech Challenge for four middle schools, and FIRST Robotics Competition for Team 238: Cruisin’ Crusaders. These after-school programs challenge students to solve real-world problems through guided programming, mentoring and outreach efforts. With this model, the Manchester school district will join 129 districts across the U.S. to have the full spectrum of FIRST programs.
Londonderry Trailways: This $10,000 grant funds interpretative signage along three miles of a public trail, as a part of the Londonderry Rail Trail project. This project is turning six miles of abandoned, overgrown rail corridor into a multi-use rail trail for outdoor recreation, education and enjoyment.
Londonderry School District: This $3,830 grant supports the development of a pilot after-school electronics and robotics program for fifth-graders who have an interest in electronics and robotics. The club supports current robotics, pre-engineering programs and “Genius Hour,” which allows students to commit time during the school year to develop and build projects that improve the overall climate of the school.
Since 2014, the Bosch Community Fund has provided nearly $110,000 in grants to organizations in the Londonderry area.