FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology)

So we give back to, in Chicago particularly, we give back to Chicago Public Schools.

We give them, whether it's a FIRST Robotics program or just they need a, whether they need a machine, to do their manufacturing programs, or we just donate a check.

The first check we've ever given was in 2014 to Austin Polytech.

They're a technology college over on Austin Street.

We've got a podcast, Art...

Recent guests have been Dean Kamen, the founder and executive director of FIRST Robotics, which is like the largest youth-based nonprofit for STEM worldwide.

Dr. Martine Rothblatt, who's building hydrogen helicopters to deliver 3D printed organs, which are real, which I've seen.

Val Mitikoff, I'm sure you know that name from Zero Obvious.

I, I, I-

Are there, like, high school things that are happening too, like Lego lab, like Lego, uh, competitions and stuff like that? Like the, what's it called, FIRST Robotics?

Oh, yeah.

There's tons of those around.

And I tend to I think I magnetize with people that also are like that.

In fact, you know, I don't know if you watched the episode with Dean Kamen, but he's the founder of First Robotics and he turned engineering into a sport.

And it's literally a humongous global competitive sport where, you know, kids are building robots and they compete.

It's really fun.

But The founder of that class, his name was Professor Woody Flowers.

And you may know his name because he was also the founder of FIRST Robotics.

When he started this class at MIT, at the time he took over it, it was very boring.

He just learned how to do engineering drawings and textbook design work.

He made it robots like that went really well and was very popular.

And I think he loved it so much that he wanted to bring it to the world.

So that's why he started FIRST Robotics.

And then and now we see that it is worldwide.

Indiana-Michigan Power is now accepting applications for two grant programs supporting science and engineering projects in schools.

INM spokesperson Schnee Doyle says the Teacher Vision and FIRST Robotics grants can help bring hands-on learning opportunities to classrooms by providing support to teachers.

A lot of the times our teachers end up paying out of pocket to help bring these ideas and these experiences to life for these students.

And so that's where INM comes in with these Teacher Vision and FIRST Robotics grants

Doyle says teacher vision grants range from $100 to $500 and are intended for projects that spark curiosity and engage students in science, technology, engineering, math, and energy education.

Teachers can apply directly.

FIRST Robotics grants range from $250 to $6,000 and support FIRST Robotics programs.

These grants are specifically designed to support those efforts by helping our teachers, helping our schools, helping our robotics teams create engaging, hands-on learning opportunities that are really going to inspire that curiosity.

Indiana Michigan Power is now taking applications for two grant programs that support science and engineering projects in schools.

INM spokesperson Shanae Doyle tells us the Teacher Vision and FIRST Robotics grants can help bring hands-on learning opportunities to classrooms by providing support to teachers.

A lot of the times our teachers end up paying out of pocket to help bring these ideas and these experiences to life for these students.

And so that's where INM comes in with these Teacher Vision and FIRST Robotics grants.

Doyle says the teacher vision grants range from $100 to $500, and they're intended for projects that spark curiosity and engage students in science, technology, engineering, math, and energy education.

Teachers can apply directly.

FIRST Robotics grants, meanwhile, range from $250 to $6,000 and support FIRST Robotics programs.

These grants are specifically designed to support those efforts by helping our teachers, helping our schools, helping our robotics teams create engaging, hands-on learning opportunities for that are really going to inspire that curiosity.

And so that was a team.

And I know there's like robot, you know, there's like Lego leagues and there's various robot programs and FIRST Robotics in schools.

Like if there was that much demand for people like trying to do, you know, hands-on manufacturing based or even any kind of STEM curriculum or that would be amazing if there was that much demand than there is for soccer or for football or for basketball, which, you know, it's great to have kids do sports.

Don't get me wrong, but yeah.

We also have a drone, or I'm sorry, a robotics- Program, a big data program, a pathway for our students.

Uh, we've been involved with First Robotics for many years.

We took a little bit of a hit, um, during the pandemic, and that's, is one of the things that sort of encouraged me to look at the, the robot.

So let's talk a little bit about the robot.