News Release

April 3, 2009

For more information:

Mary Waggoner, 425-385-4049

Maggie Thorleifson, 425-385-7183

H.M. Jackson High School's robotics team heads to

world competition

H.M. Jackson High School's 15 member robotics team,

Team 2910, competed in the

FIRST

Robotics regional

competition and qualified to participate in the world

championship in Atlanta, Ga., April 16-18. On the last

weekend in March at the Microsoft Regional Tournament,

Team 2910 met 64 other teams from Washington, Oregon,

California, Idaho, New Hampshire, Florida, Canada, and

one from Istanbul, Turkey.

The team secured an invitation to the World

FIRST

Championship by winning the Rookie All-Star Award, the

top honor a rookie team can earn.

The Rookie All-Star Award celebrates the rookie team

exemplifying a young but strong partnership effort, as well

as implementing the mission of

FIRST

to inspire students

to learn more about science and technology.

In addition to success at the competition, more than half the team members raised their grade point average (GPA) one full

point as a result of the connections they made with mathematics, science, technology and a new understanding of the

importance of education and its connection to career success. Some team members raised their GPAs by two whole points.

The students of Team 2910 are newly inspired by engineering and computer programming and the possibilities of their future.

Led by instructors Maggie Thorleifson and Richard Graham, along with Boeing engineer Brian Gattman and four other

mentors, the students learned about structural mechanics, robotic propulsion and other engineering concepts. With students

working more than 4,000 hours on the project since September and mentors dedicating more than 6,000 hours to the team,

Team 2910 and their robot "Jack in the Bot" entered the Seattle competition for the first time.

Corporate and individual sponsors enriched the learning and experiences of Team 2910 and were key elements in the

success of the students, noted Thorleifson. Sponsors include Terry's Machine, Boeing, Fluke Corporation, American Institute

of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Altair Engineering, BAE Systems, Computer Concepts, Platt and the Office of Superintendent

of Public Instruction.

"This example of student success as a result of community partners and volunteers is one of many in our district," said Interim

Superintendent Karst Brandsma. "Not all of these educational partnerships end up with national placement in a high-profile

competition, but every day in every school, our students are being inspired as the result of volunteer and organizational

support of classroom learning. Thank you!"

The trip to Atlanta for the World

FIRST

Championship later this month will continue to inspire students to excel. "For the team

to travel to Atlanta we are in need of funding and have a very short fundraising window to achieve this goal. We would

appreciate any contributions the community can make to our cause," says Thorleifson. "Our team is honored and committed to

making it to Atlanta; however, in the next 10 days we need to raise $26,000 so that everyone on the team can make it to

Atlanta."

Donations to help students compete in Georgia can be made payable to:

H.M. Jackson High School

Attn. JHS First Robotics Team 2910

1508 136th St. SE

Mill Creek, WA 98012

everett

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6/18/2009