Lexington One Educational Foundation Awards $10,000 in Michelin VEX Robotics Grants

November 3, 2022

Media Contact

Julie Anderson Washburn, Lexington One Educational Foundation Executive Director
PH: 803.821.1008
Megan Moore, Lexington District One Communications Director
PH: 803.821.1155

NEWS RELEASE – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 3, 2022:  The Lexington County School District One Educational Foundation recently awarded $10,000 in Michelin VEX Robotics Grants to Lexington District One middle and high school VEX Robotics team. These grants are a result of a $30,000 commitment from Michelin North America, Inc., to support robotics and computer science education in the district.

These Educational Foundation grant funds can be used for needed robotics team expenses, which can be quite costly, such as purchasing one or more robotics kits, tools and equipment, as well as to cover team registration fees and other unmet expenses incurred as a result of the teams participating in local and state competitions. Foundation Executive Director Julie Anderson Washburn shared, “Computer science learning opportunities provided by participation on a school VEX Robotics team teach our students important, marketable skills that help prepare them for a variety of industries. Technology-related fields are the future and Michelin executives recognize and support such valuable experiences for our Lexington District One students.”

Students who choose to become involved in a school robotics team learn skills in building, design, engineering, coding, computational thinking, range of motion, simple machinery, collaboration, teamwork, marketing, public speaking and more. All of these experiences help develop a variety of very valuable skills in our students, which are desirable to future employers.

Each year a school’s VEX robotics team members must work together to design, construct and program a robot based on the competition year’s given parameters. In addition, students must learn to maneuver it using a remote control; conduct product trials; and correct performance issues either before or during competitions. Participation in robotics competitions gives Lexington District One students the opportunity to see how other teams addressed the challenges, to meet students from other communities, and to learn from their experiences. 

Congratulations to the 2022-2023 Michelin VEX Robotics Grant teams:

  • Beechwood Middle School – Team Coaches Brittany Feaster and Garrick Ball; Principal Gloria Jenkinson
  • Lakeside Middle School  – Team Coaches Ben Godfrey and Don Mellen (volunteer); Principal Casey Calhoun
  • Pelion Middle School – Team Coach John Leneschmidt; Principal Jessica Keisler
  • Pleasant Hill Middle School –Team Coach Darren Sigmon; Principal Julie Painter
  • White Knoll Middle School – Team Coach Alan Lominick; Principal Donald Hardie
  • Lexington Technology Center/Lexington High School – Team Coaches Melissa Boehler and Daniel Cummins; LTC Director Bryce Myers; LHS Principal Ryan Pool
  • River Bluff High School– Team Coaches Horst Daichendt, Sarah Tooley, Don Mellen (volunteer) and Ana Daichendt; Principal Jacob Smith
  • White Knoll High School – Team Coaches Cory Summerall and Darren Murray; Principal Nicholas Pearson

Based on the success of the district’s many VEX Robotics Teams last school year, with the three high school teams making it to the VEX Worlds Competition last May, hopes are high for continued success in this 2022-23 school year. The Educational Foundation’s Board of Directors and staff are extremely grateful for companies like Michelin that invest in Lexington District One students and help to provide such wonderful, real-world experiences via our school VEX robotics teams.

Pictured: Photos of each school’s VEX Robotics Team.

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$388,398

invested in Lexington District One in fiscal year 2022-2023

$33,000

All K-2 students benefited from the Counting Collections for Mathematics Grant

$22,000

Awarded in Scholarships and/or Higher Education Grants