KITTERY, Maine – FIRST Robotics teams sponsored by Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNSY) received grants totaling $7,659 from the National Defense Education Program.

The FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics program is a non-profit, charitable, organization headquartered in Manchester, NH that is dedicated to showing people of all ages that science, technology, and problem solving are fun and rewarding pursuits. The program brings together students and mentors to design, build, test, drive, and compete robots within a well-organized, financially balanced, and professionally marketed and run team.

These grants will help local teams compete in FIRST Robotics competitions by covering the cost of registration and materials. PNSY will mentor eight FIRST Robotics teams in the 2014-15 Season.

PNSY is supporting two rookie teams: a First Tech Challenge team from a Girl Scout troop in Rochester, NH, and a First Lego League team from St. James School in Biddeford, ME. PNSY began sponsoring FIRST Robotics teams in 2011.

Veteran schools sponsored by PNSY include Central School in South Berwick, Maine; Traip Academy in Kittery, Maine; and Dover High School, Sanford High School, and Prospect Mountain High School in Alton, NH.