The Huntsville based Pathfinder Chapter of the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) presented educational grants totaling $ 57,150.00 to 33 local classrooms. In addition, grants were presented to SciQuest – for home school robotics programs; and to two education competitions - the Alabama Council for Technology in Education (ACTE); and the Alabama First Lego League Championship.  The grants were presented by the chapter President, Andrew Ramsey and Education Chairman Joe Fitzgerald in a ceremony held on 19 October 2009 at the Educator Resources Center at the US Space and Rocket Center.  The grants ranged in size from $ 600 to $ 5,000 and will be used to support robotics technology instruction by the schools. 

This marks the 19th consecutive year that the Pathfinder Chapter has provided educational grants to the local community.  Each year, schools throughout North Alabama and South Central Tennessee are invited to submit requests for funding support by the association.  Winners include schools from Huntsville, Madison, and Arab, Alabama, and Fayetteville, Tennessee. Schools use the funds to purchase robot kits, computers and other items to support robotics education and to compete in robotics competitions.   Several local High Schools have competed in the FIRST competitions over the last several years and have said that they could not afford to compete without the Pathfinder Chapter’s financial support. These grants support more than 1,000 students in of robotics and technology education programs.

The ACTE grant will help to pay for their annual Technology Fair held each spring at Huntsville’s Von Braun Center.  At the fair, over 700 Northwest Alabama students in public and private grades 3 to 12 demonstrate how they are learning and using computer technology in school.  The Pathfinder chapter’s support for ACTE has been instrumental in keeping the competition alive and growing for several years.  This is the type of community involvement that members of the Pathfinder Chapter want to encourage and sustain through our education grant award program.

Mr. Fitzgerald pointed out that, in addition to providing monetary support, many members of the association have volunteered to serve as mentors to various robotics clubs in the local area and thus aid the teachers in providing assistance and guidance to the students as they prepare for local and regional robotics competitions. 

Contact: Joe Fitzgerald
Chairman, Education Committee
Pathfinder Chapter Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International
Cell: (256) 797-6012

Printable Press Release in PDF form.