GM Celebrates Next Generation of Innovation and Engineering at Robot Competition - VIDEO STORY

SEE ALSO: Honda Presents: LIVING WITH ROBOTS

DETROIT - May 13, 2011: US teens are trailing their peers around the world in math and sciences. According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, American students rank 25th in math and 17th in science. With Americans so behind, business leaders have few choices when looking to employ scientists and engineers.

In order to combat this growing problem, companies like General Motors are working to nurture a passion for science and math early in a student's life. That passion can certainly be seen at the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics Championship which took place at the Edwards Jones Dome in St. Louis, Missouri. Over 300 teams competed in a series of events which tested students' ability to think qualitatively in order to solve different problems. Performing like real world engineers, students had to design a team brand, raise funds, and build a robot programmed to perform tasks prescribed to them against competitors under strict rules, limited resources and time constraints. The participants of the FIRST Robotics Championship will also be eligible for scholarships provided by nearly 150 colleges nationwide.

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