Donation will help fund the HHS robotics team’s participation in the 14th annual For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) competition.
By: Michael Ross
HIGHTSTOWN Ingenuity and invention will unite a pharmaceutical giant with local high school students in a competition to engineer a game-winning robot.
For the third consecutive year, Bristol-Myers Squibb has donated $10,000 to the Hightstown High School robotics team. The amount will help fund Team Mercury in the 14th annual For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) competition.
David Carle, director of strategic planning for the B-MS global engineering group of Plainsboro, presented a check to the East Windsor Regional School District Board of Education on Monday.
"We truly appreciate the sponsorship of this program," Superintendent Ronald Bolandi said following the presentation. "Without your funds, this program would not be possible. We can’t thank you enough."
"We’re very proud to have Bristol-Myers help us out," said team adviser Chris Gregory.
More than 25,000 students representing approximately 1,000 teams from almost every state, Canada, Mexico, Ecuador, Brazil, Great Britain and Israel will compete in this year’s competition.
"The FIRST Robotics Competition challenges teams of students and their mentors to solve a common problem in a six-week time frame using a standard ‘kit of parts’ and a common set of rules," according to the organization’s Web site. "Teams build robots from the parts and enter them in a series of competitions…"
"It’s a tremendous program," Mr. Carle said Tuesday. "It’s certainly been great to enable the Hightstown team the ability to participate in the annual event."
On Tuesday, Mr. Gregory, a HHS mathematics and computer science teacher, said the donation will cover the $6,000 entrance fee for the regional competition on March 17 through 19 at Sovereign Bank Arena in Trenton. At that time, Team Mercury will compete against more than 50 teams from throughout New Jersey.
Mr. Gregory said the balance of the donation, along with a $5,000 ACTION (A Chance to Implement Originality Now) grant received from the school district, will fund $3,500 in robotic construction costs along with a $5,000 entrance fee for the championship competition. The event is slated to take place April 21 through 23 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Ga.
Team Mercury also is supported by Speco Tile & Marble Co. of Mercer Street, a company that offers construction assistance to the team, Mr. Gregory said.
Ticket information for the regional competition will be available next month at www.sovereignbankarena.com.

