April 2, 2004

UCSD’s Preuss School Rebotics Team Wins Top
Award In Region; Will Enter National Contest In Georgia

By Pat JaCoby

The robotics team from the Preuss School at the University of California, San Diego received the Engineering Inspiration Award in recent regional competition, thus qualifying for entry in national championships in Atlanta, Ga., April 15-17, 2004.

The team took the engineering award, the second highest award given in the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics Competition held in Los Angeles. The award recognized the team’s success in advancing respect and appreciation for engineering and engineers, both within their school and in the San Diego community. Criteria included the extent and inventiveness of the team’s efforts to recruit students to engineering, the extent and effectiveness of the team’s community outreach efforts, and the measurable success of those efforts.

The team is actively fundraising to cover the costs of student participation in the national competition. Persons interested in assisting may call Rob Mainieri at (858) 658-7249.

The Preuss School at UCSD is a public charter school which serves low income, first-generation, college-bound students.

Media Contact: Rob Mainieri, 858 658-7249 or Pat JaCoby, 858 534-7404