News

Jun 27, 2023

Grant County Community Foundation Approves $20,000 Grant for PhyXTGears Robotics Team

The Grant County Community Foundation Board has granted $20,000 to East Central Indiana Robotics – The PhyXTGears, FRC Team 1720. This funding will help prepare high school students for Indiana’s

The Grant County Community Foundation Board has granted $20,000 to East Central Indiana Robotics – The PhyXTGears, FRC Team 1720. This funding will help prepare high school students for Indiana’s technology workforce through hands-on STEM training. The grant will be obtained through a crowdfunding campaign, where PhyXTGears aims to raise an additional $20,000 from donors and sponsors.

PhyXTGears is a robotics program that focuses on cultivating excitement, understanding, and skill in the fields of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) through the FIRST® robotics program. The program promotes innovation, integrity, and passion through problem-solving, teamwork, time management, and project development.

The president of PhyXTGears, Shawn Van Ness, expressed his gratitude for winning the grant and highlighted the alignment between PhyXTGears’ mission and the Community Foundation’s effort to promote a sustainable impact on Grant County. The organization aims to connect people, resources, and causes for the betterment of the community.

PhyXTGears provides high school students with mentor-based training in a supportive environment. Students learn various skills such as CNC milling, CAD design, woodworking, laser cutting, programming, and media management. The program has a diverse student population, including students from multi-ethnic and multi-racial backgrounds, with about a quarter of the students being female.

Over the years, PhyXTGears has received several awards, including four World Championship Awards, seven State Championship Awards, and ten Indiana Robotics Invitational Awards. These achievements demonstrate the success and dedication of the students and mentors involved in the program.

The crowdfunding campaign aims to support the growth and development of the PhyXTGears program, preparing students to become the next generation of leaders, innovators, and problem solvers in the local community. Donations can be made through the campaign website.

PhyXTGears also welcomes mentors with various skills, including woodworking, metalworking, CNC, CAD, 3D printing, software development, electronics, graphic design, photography, videography, web technology, and media marketing.

If you own a business and are interested in hosting summer interns, PhyXTGears students are highly motivated and possess technical and trade skills that would make them valuable additions to your workforce. Interested individuals can contact PhyXTGears for more information.