KSC-00pp0347

At the conclusion of the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Southeast Regional competition held at the KSC Visitor Complex, the Center's Deputy Director for Business Operations Jim Jennings presents shirts to Dave Alonso (left) and Eduardo Lopez del Castillo (right). Alonso, who is chief of the Program Control Contract Office, helped make possible the KSC sponsorship of the event. Castillo helped introduce the FIRST organization to KSC several years ago. Teams of high school students from all over the country tested the limits of their imagination using robots they designed, with the support of business and engineering professionals and corporate sponsors, to compete in a technological battle against other schools' robots. Of the 30 high school teams competing at the Southeast Regional event, 16 were Florida teams co-sponsored by NASA and KSC contractors. Local high schools participating are Astronaut, Bayside, Cocoa Beach, Eau Gallie, Melbourne, Melbourne Central Catholic, Palm Bay, Rockledge, Satellite, and Titusville