Ashley Furniture Sponsors Robotics Programs for School Districts in Mississippi and Wisconsin
Furniture World News Desk on
12/10/2017
Ashley awarded the North Pontotoc High School Robotics Team a sponsorship check of $3,393. In September of this year, the team competed against 23 teams from across the state at the MS BEST Robotics Competition and placed 5th.
Ashley Furniture Industries (Ashley) recently reported that on Saturday, December 2, Ashley Furniturepresented a $20,000 check to the 7 Rivers Robotics Coalition. With this financial support, along with volunteer support from Ashley employees, 14 high schools in Western Wisconsin will have the opportunity to participate in FIRST Robotics. This donation is aimed at inspiring young minds in the areas of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics).
Ashley’s sponsorship included $10,000 to the Trempealeau County team, “TC Robotics,” made up of students from five local schools, to help defer the costs of an upcoming competition, supplies and traveling. Additionally, nine other area school districts also received a $10,000 sponsorship check for each of their FIRST Robotics teams.
Last week, Ashley also awarded the North Pontotoc High School Robotics Team a sponsorship check of $3,393. In September of this year, the team competed against 23 teams from across the state at the MS BEST Robotics Competition. They placed 5th overall, and are one of five teams from the state of Mississippi that qualified to attend the Southern Regional Competition, at Auburn University in Alabama.
FIRST and BEST Robotics are similar programs that encourage students to be leaders in science and technology. In these programs, students learn how to design, build, program and test a robot that will then be used to compete against other schools throughout the state and country. Students are also required to operate the program as if they are running their own business, utilizing skills in marketing, finance and more.
“Not only are students learning about the design, programming and building of a robot, they are also building self-confidence, teamwork and leadership skills,” said Andy Baker, Automation & Robotics Manager at Ashley Furniture. “There are many great career options that can evolve around STEM education.”
Additionally, Ashley donated $10,000 worth of VEX Robotics to seven area middle schools in Wisconsin to accompany STEM education programs and build students’ interest in these areas. This donation allows the schools to begin a local competition called Greater Western Wisconsin VEX IQ Challenge.
As manufacturing continues to advance, support of educating our current and next generation of leaders has become more crucial. Ashley and the Wanek family have made several contributions in the area of education. In addition to the support of STEM initiatives, millions of dollars in funds and in kind services have been provided to assist local schools and universities, and more than 2,000 scholarships during the past ten years to help offset the escalating costs of higher education.
More about Ashley Furniture: Ashley Furniture Industries, Inc. (Ashley) feels that every person deserves more value for their money. Established in 1945, Ashley is one of the largest manufacturers of home furnishings in the world, and was recently named one of America’s Best Employers by Forbes in 2017. From design through fulfillment, Ashley is committed to delivering the world’s best home furnishing values, selection and service, and earning the loyalty and trust of its customers every day. For more information, visit www.ashleyfurniture.com.
More about FIRST: Accomplished inventor Dean Kamen founded FIRST® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) in 1989 to inspire an appreciation of science and technology in young people. Based in Manchester, N.H., FIRST designs accessible, innovative programs to build self- confidence, knowledge, and life skills while motivating young people to pursue opportunities in science, technology, and engineering. With support from over 200 of the Fortune 500 companies and more than $50 million in college scholarships, the not-for-profit organization hosts the FIRST® Robotics Competition for students in Grades 9-12; FIRST® Tech Challenge for Grades 7-12; FIRST®LEGO® League for Grades 4-8; and FIRST® LEGO® League Jr. for Grades K-4. Gracious Professionalism® is a way of doing things that encourages high-quality work, emphasizes the value of others, and respects individuals and the community. For more information, visit www.firstinspires.org.
More about VEX Robotics: VEX Robotics is a leading provider of educational and competitive robotics products to schools, universities and robotics teams around the world. Their VEX IQ and VEX EDR product lines span elementary, middle, and high schools with accessible, scalable, and affordable robotics solutions. Beyond science and engineering principles, a VEX Robotics project encourages teamwork, leadership and problem solving among groups. It allows educators to easily customize projects to meet the level of students' abilities as they inspire & prepare the STEM problem-solvers of tomorrow.