ATLANTA, March 9, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- EMS Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq:ELMG) announced today its third consecutive year of sponsorship of the FIRST(tm) Robotics competition, a six-week, high-tech, spectator sporting event featuring more than 1,125 teams and 28,000 students, who will compete in 33 regional events. The multinational competition teams professionals and young people to solve an engineering design problem.
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EMS is providing $5,000 and 18 volunteer mentors, who have spent the past six weeks working with members of Norcross High School's robotics team. The team is tasked with designing and building a robot from hundreds of parts. Norcross High School's team will compete in the Peachtree Regional March 16-18 at the Gwinnett Civic and Cultural Center in Duluth, and will participate in the Championship Event at the Georgia Dome April 27-29. Jay Grove, senior vice president and general manager, EMS Defense & Space Systems Division, will serve as a judge during the three-day regional competition.
"For EMS Technologies, our support of FIRST Robotics is quite simply an investment in our future. EMS needs bright students motivated to pursue engineering careers in order to continue EMS's long tradition of advanced technology innovation," says Grove.
Patrick Drolet, senior product manager with EMS Technologies' LXE unit, a leader in mobile computing solutions for the supply chain, is in his first year as a mentor, helping the students with the software, electronics and product management aspects of the competition. Drolet supports voice-activated products, barcode scanners and Bluetooth technologies within LXE's wireless product line.
"These are 15 to 18 year olds who are extremely intelligent and sharp. Their technical skills are very good, but the challenge is helping them work as a team, especially since half of the team graduates each year," says Drolet. "All of the mentors at EMS feel great about what we're doing," he adds. "We are getting back a good part of what we give to the program."
Norcross High School has 40 students on its 2006 robotics team, and will be competing at both the Peachtree Regional and National Championships at the Georgia Dome in April. Phillip Sisk, Norcross High School's technology education teacher and co-robotics team advisor along with chemistry teacher Gautam Saha, says half of his students on the robotics team want to pursue engineering at either Georgia Tech or Southern Polytechnic University, in large part because of the exposure to engineering from the EMS mentors.
"EMS support has been critical to our success. We can always raise money, but it's the mentoring -- working with EMS professionals in the engineering field - that really inspires these kids," he says. "Without the EMS employees who volunteer to help us, we would not have been able to do this."
About FIRST
Accomplished inventor Dean Kamen founded FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) in 1989 to inspire an appreciation of science and technology in young people. Based in Manchester, NH, FIRST designs accessible, innovative programs to build self-confidence, knowledge and life skills while motivating young people to pursue opportunities in science, technology, engineering and math. With the support of many of the world's most well-known companies, the non-profit organization hosts the FIRST Robotics Competition for high school students and the FIRST LEGO(R) League for children 9-14 years old. To learn more about FIRST, go to www.usfirst.org.
About EMS Technologies, Inc.
EMS Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq:ELMG) is a leading innovator in the design and manufacture of wireless, satellite and defense solutions, and focuses its unique range of advanced technologies on the needs of broadband and mobile information users. The Company is headquartered in Atlanta, has approximately 1,200 workers worldwide, and operates manufacturing facilities in Atlanta, Ottawa, Montreal and Brazil. For more information, visit EMS on the World Wide Web at www.ems-t.com.
Editor's Note: Reporters can access photos of EMS mentors working with the robotics team at Norcross High School at these links:
http://www.ems-t.com/EMSPressRoom/images/First_Robotics1.JPG Caption: LXE's Patrick Drolet, a first-year mentor to Norcross High School's FIRST Robotics team, stands next to the partially completed student-designed robot that will compete in the Peachtree Regional next weekend. http://www.ems-t.com/EMSPressRoom/images/First_Robotics2.JPG Caption: EMS Technologies' Jeff Pahl, a third-year mentor to Norcross High School's FIRST Robotics team, oversees student Matt Simon as he completes final assembly of the team's robot.
The photo accompanying this release is also available at NewsCom, www.newscom.com, and via AP Photo Express.
