LOS ANGELES, Dec. 8, 2006 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) today announced it has renewed its support and is now the presenting sponsor for Sally Ride Science(tm) TOYchallenge(tm), an innovative toy- and game-design competition developed to engage students in grades five through eight to experience engineering in a fun, creative and collaborative way.
This marks the fifth consecutive year Northrop Grumman has provided support for the TOYchallenge and the first year the company has signed on as a presenting sponsor for the program.
Northrop Grumman's enhanced support reflects the company's dedication to non-profit organizations and educational institutions that address the lack of engineering and other technical majors among the current population of university students. The company views this support as crucial to spurring children's early interest in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).
"Our nation is experiencing a significant decline in the number of engineers and scientists we produce," said Sandra Evers-Manly, president of the Northrop Grumman Foundation. "We must do what we can to counteract the lack of interest in STEM, and it will only happen through stepped-up partnerships with innovative organizations -- such as Sally Ride Science -- that can help tackle the situation. Our future as a nation depends upon the education of our young boys and girls in STEM-related activities and subjects, and we are committed to this vital effort to build and nurture tomorrow's technical community."
Astronaut Sally Ride, founder of Sally Ride Science said, "TOYchallenge is a great tool for keeping middle school-age kids, especially girls, in the 'technical pipeline,' thus helping create a diverse new generation of scientists and scientifically literate citizens."
Interested students should visit www.TOYchallenge.com for information. The competition is open to students in fifth through eighth grades during the current school year. The deadline for submissions is December 15.
Northrop Grumman Corporation is a $30 billion global defense and technology company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in information and services, electronics, aerospace and shipbuilding to government and commercial customers worldwide.