30 FIRST Teams Will Be Funded for Grades 4-12 in Portland and SW Washington

Contact: tracy.darchini@daimler.com

PORTLAND, Ore. – April 18, 2016 – For the fourth consecutive school year, Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) is donating over $200,000 to schools in Portland and Southwest Washington to promote education in science, math, engineering, and technology (STEM) through its Daimler Education in Motion campaign.

For the 2016/17 school year, DTNA will support students in grades 4 – 12 at schools in the greater Portland metro area who are interested in starting or continuing a FIRST team in one of its three programs: FIRST Lego League, FIRST Tech Challenge, and FIRST Robotics Competition. In addition to receiving funds for a FIRST team, engineers from DTNA will be volunteering as mentors to the teams. Schools can find more information and apply on the KGW-TV (NBC) website at www.kgw.com/robotics.

“As a company built on innovating commercial trucking, supporting FIRST’s mission to inspire future generations of engineers is a natural fit for us,” said Anahita Crawford, manager of Daimler Education in Motion. “We are proud to give back to the greater Portland community where thousands of Daimler employees live and work.”

Representatives from FIRST and the Oregon Robotics Tournament & Outreach Program (ORTOP) are helping to administer the initiative.

“Too many young people reject technical degrees and careers as beyond their talents. In fact, studies show that technical expertise is not innate but rather developed through extended experience. FIRST robotics programs give young people these high-quality experiences and put them on a path to do great things with their lives,” said Bruce Schafer, volunteer executive director, Oregon Robotics Tournament & Outreach Program (ORTOP).

To date, Daimler has donated over $1 million in support of STEM education in Portland and Southwest Washington schools since the Daimler Education in Motion campaign launched in 2013 through funding, equipment donations, and volunteer time. The Daimler Education in Motion campaign is a collection of DTNA’s giving and mentoring initiatives and is part of the company’s commitment to Portland where it has been headquartered for over 70 years.

About FIRST

FIRST (for inspiration and recognition of science and technology) was founded in 1989 to inspire young people’s interest and participation in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Programs range from kindergarten to high school and scholarships of over 20 million are available for higher education.  Based in Manchester, NH, the not-for-profit public charity designs accessible, innovative programs that motivate young people to pursue education and career opportunities while building self-confidence, knowledge, and life skills.

About ORTOP

The Oregon Robotics Tournament & Outreach Program (ORTOP) was founded in 2001 to give children who may not otherwise consider technical careers an opportunity to gain confidence and build skills at early age. ORTOP’s mission is to open doors to the worlds of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics for Oregon’s youth by providing educational opportunities featuring robotics with special emphasis on maximizing the diversity of those participating. 

About Daimler Trucks North America

Daimler Trucks North America LLC, headquartered in Portland, Ore., is the leading heavy-duty truck manufacturer in North America. It manufactures, sells, and services commercial vehicles under the Freightliner, Western Star, Detroit, and Thomas Built Buses nameplates. Daimler Trucks North America is a business unit of Daimler AG, the world’s leading commercial vehicle manufacturer.