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Pontiac Central High and Delphi are 'FIRST' Achievers

28 April 1998

U.S. Secretary of Education Honors Pontiac Central H.S. And Delphi Automotive Systems for 'FIRST' Achievements

    TROY, Mich., April 27 -- In his visit to Pontiac Central High
School today, U.S. Secretary of Education Richard W. Riley applauded the
school's participation and achievement in the "FIRST" program.
    "I'm excited about what's going on here," Riley said to an auditorium full
of students, teachers, administrators, city officials and Delphi Automotive
Systems engineers.  "I was so happy and shocked when I went into the FIRST
team area and saw all those robotics and all the learning taking place."
    Riley used the school's success with FIRST to underscore to students the
importance of technology in education.  "Technology opens up many
opportunities for learning," he said.  "Students at Pontiac Central understand
that."
    Pontiac Central has earned numerous achievements since partnering with
Delphi Automotive Systems three years ago.  The "Chief Delphi" team won three
regionals this year, won the coveted "Chairman's Award" in 1997, and earned
the national "Rookie All-Star" award in 1996.
    "We're really proud of our association with the school and with the city
of Pontiac," said Rodney O'Neal, Delphi general manager.  "You can get
interested in math and science by reading a textbook, but to get really
excited about these subjects and to envision a career in these fields, there's
no substitute for FIRST."
    FIRST, which stands for "For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and
Technology," is an international program designed to get high school students
as enthused about science, math and technology as an athletic competition.
    FIRST joins engineers and students together for a specific mission: To
design, engineer and construct a fully functional robot, built from a kit that
includes a control system, electrical components, motors, batteries, and other
hardware in six weeks.
    Delphi Automotive Systems, which has supported FIRST since its inception
in 1992, sponsored five teams this year, including high schools in Pontiac,
Flint and Saginaw, Mich.; Warren, Ohio; and Kokomo, Ind., which won FIRST's
National Championship competition in Orlando, Fla., earlier this month.
    Earlier this year, to help the non-profit group expand its reach further,
Delphi and General Motors Corp. donated $500,000, and Delphi
President J.T. Battenberg III joined FIRST's board of directors.
    Delphi Automotive Systems, with headquarters in Troy, Mich., USA, is the
world's most diversified supplier of automotive components and systems.  With
the recent integration of Delphi Delco Electronics Systems, Delphi operates
208 manufacturing facilities, 46 ventures and 27 technical centers in 36
countries.  Regional headquarters are located in Paris, Tokyo and Sao Paulo.
Delphi can now be found on the Internet at http://www.delphiauto.com.

SOURCE  Delphi Automotive Systems