$50K grant to fuel area robotics teams
Jul. 15—The Wabash Heartland Innovation Network (WHIN) awarded a $50,000 grant to the Cass County Community Foundation (CCCF) Thursday evening at the Cass County Fair so that the CCCF may continue their support of robotics teams at the area schools.
Deanna Crispen, president and CEO of the CCCF, along with Audette Taylor of WHIN and community foundation board members were on hand at the fair to make the announcement.
Crispen said that local teams have grown to the point where they have more students wanting to compete than they have resources. WHIN's funding will help address that challenge, as funds will be utilized to purchase additional competition equipment for the elementary, middle, and high school teams.
Logansport, Lewis Cass, Caston and Pioneer each took turns showcasing their robotics team during the county fair, with one team displaying their skills each night.
Fairgoers could donate money to their favorite school at the CCCF booth, with the Community Foundation matching those donations up to $500 dollars.
"The life skills, problem-solving and teamwork learned in robotics are an undeniable testimony to the value of these programs," said Crispen. "As local interest in robotics continues to grow, this WHIN grant could not come at a better time."
There are eleven schools within the four school systems that host robotics teams. Pioneer Elementary plans to restart its program this year. Each school was invited to submit a list of needed equipment. The grant will also allow for $18,000 to go towards equipment that can be shared between all the teams.
The Wabash Heartland Innovation Network is a consortium of 10 counties in north-central Indiana working to harness the power of Internet-enabled sensors to develop the region into a global epicenter of digital agricultural and next-generation manufacturing using the sensor- and digital-based networks known as the "Internet of Things" (IoT). The project is funded by a $38.9 million grant from the Lilly Endowment Inc.
The 10 counties include Benton, Carroll, Cass, Clinton, Fountain, Montgomery, Pulaski, Tippecanoe, Warren and White counties.
To learn more about Cass County Robotics Programs, WHIN, or the Cass County Community Foundation, please call 574-722-2200.