The Watertown High School Robotics Team sent out the following information:
Students at Watertown High School have found external support as they utilize robots to improve skills in science and engineering. The Monsanto Fund, a philanthropic arm of Bayer, recently awarded a one-time $5,000 grant to Watertown High Robotics Team 2423 to support their FIRST Robotics activities and encourage local students who participate in the program.
Watertown High Robotics Team 2423 will use support from the Monsanto Fund grant to participate in FIRST Robotics and its educational programs and competitions. FIRST enables teams of students to compete with others in building, designing and programming their own robots to perform preassigned tasks– giving young students a chance to get involved with real-world engineering.
“Allowing today’s students to learn STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) skills through hands-on experiences is crucial to preparing our next generation to drive innovation and overcome challenges,” said Michelle Insco, Monsanto Fund program officer. “Monsanto Fund invests in future scientists and engineers like those at Watertown High School and encourages their involvement in programs like FIRST Robotics.”
Monsanto Fund’s sponsorship of FIRST Robotics teams continues the nonprofit’s intentional support of programs that improve STEM education. Over the past five years, the Monsanto Fund has contributed over $40 million to STEM outreach efforts.
About the Monsanto Fund
The Monsanto Fund, a philanthropic arm of Bayer, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening the communities where farmers and employees live and work. Visit the Monsanto Fund at www.monsantofund.org.
Congratulations to our talented Robotics Team. Participating in Dean Kamen’s FIRST is a great honor. However, it is a shame that the award is from Monsanto which is doing a great deal to poison our environment and us. The widely used Monsanto Roundup is known as an endocrine disrupter with tremendous effects on humans and the environment. Please check out one site for some information, both scientific and legal about false advertising and ill effects: https://gmo-awareness.com/resources/glyphosate/. Here’s a lawyers’ website about cities all over the world (including four in MA) that have limited use of glyphosate since it was named a “probable human carcinogen.”
**Can the WHS Robotics Team find other sources for funding of these important STEM programs? There must be other sources that will support our teams–and FIRST– and do good in the world. Perhaps Watertown, or Watertownies can raise the funds? Perhaps you have a creative idea.