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Tri County Tech Center in Bartlesville earns a grant from Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO).

PSO announced on Friday that they had awarded $22,000 in robotics grants to 19 public schools and Girl Scout teams throughout Oklahoma, including Tri County Tech. The grants ranged from $400 to $2,000.

The FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) robotics grants program is a nationwide initiative that supports pre-kindergarten through grade 12 student education with an emphasis on Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). This multi-national robotics competition teams professionals and high school students together to solve an engineering problem in a challenging and competitive way. FIRST competitions are high-tech spectator sporting events demonstrating participants’ success in brainstorming, teamwork and meeting deadlines.

PSO’s parent company, American Electric Power, funds FIRST grants on behalf of its operating companies. AEP awarded 152 grants totaling $200,000 across its 11-state service area.

In a statement, Tiffini Jackson, PSO Vice President of External Affairs, said:

“Robotics are a fun way for students to learn important STEM skills that will last a lifetime. AEP and PSO want to encourage the next generation of innovators and engineers by supporting these firsthand experiences in science and technology.”

Other robotics grant recipients for 2022 include:

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• Adair High School
• Adair Middle School
• Broken Arrow High School
• Caddo Kiowa Technology Center (Fort Cobb)
• Girl Scouts of Eastern Oklahoma (Boss Ladies team)
• Girl Scouts of Eastern Oklahoma (Lego Queens team)
• Girl Scouts of Eastern Oklahoma (Supergirls team)
• Grove Public Schools (Team 3160, Frog)
• Grove Public Schools (Team 8638, Tadpole)
• Jenks High School
• Kiamichi Technology Center (Idabel)
• McAlester High School
• Okmulgee High School
• Okmulgee Public Schools (Okmulgee Primary School)
• Red Oak Public Schools
• Tulsa Public Schools/Tulsa School of Arts and Sciences
• Union FTC Robotics Booster Club Inc. (Eighth Grade Center)
• Union High School

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More information on FIRST robotics programs can be found at: firstinspires.org.

Tri County Tech is located at 6101 Nowata Road. To learn more about the education center, click here.