TWC Awards $2.3 Million for Texas High School Robotics Programs

The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) announced today that it has awarded more than $2.3 million in grants for Youth Robotics programs.

The grants will allow thousands of Texas high school students to participate in various competitive events this school year, and are designed to help inspire students to pursue STEM occupations.

The four grants — totaling $2,335,830 — will enable 10,634 students to participate in Youth Robotics. Grants were awarded to:

• FIRST in Texas (Foundation for Inspiration & Recognition of Science & Technology in Texas) — $700,000 to serve 5,800 high school students in more than 350 teams. Thirty of those teams will be comprised of students with disabilities.  

• Urban STEM (Urban Science Technology Engineering Mathematics) — $277,440 to serve 575 students in 25 teams. Two of those teams will be comprised of students with disabilities.

• Collegiate Edu-nation — $699,290 for 140 students to participate in 36 teams. One team will be comprised of students with disabilities.

• BEST of Texas Robotics — $659,100 to allow 4,119 students to participate in 80 teams. Twenty of those teams will be comprised of students with disabilities.

Teams that advance to the State Championship will have the opportunity to move on to the World Championship arena.

Robotics competitions bring together the excitement of sports, science, and technology.