[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 79 (Monday, June 2, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1098]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




CENTRAL NEW JERSEY CELEBRATES THE NORTH BRUNSWICK TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL 
                             ROBOTICS TEAM

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                           HON. RUSH D. HOLT

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                          Monday, June 2, 2003

  Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the victory of the 
37 member team from North Brunswick Township High School who built the 
robot, Evil Machine, and took second place in the national FIRST (For 
Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics 
Competition in Houston Texas. Building a champion robot is more than 
creating a machine with technical prowess. It represents hours of hard 
work, dedication, collaboration and communication among students, 
teachers, mentors and community members. FIRST is an example of 
technology at its finest. It involves identifying a problem, developing 
a hypothesis to solve it and implementing the solution.
  To win second place in a national competition against 300 other high 
school robots is a good accomplishment. Each team that participated in 
FIRST was required to design and build a robot that solved the ``game 
problem'' using ``kit parts'' and a standard set of rules. Over a six-
week period, the North Brunswick Township High School team designed 
``Evil Machine''. His task for the competition was to collect and stack 
plastic storage containers on their side of the playing field, to knock 
down walls, and during the two-minute competition, to keep the opposing 
team's robots from doing the same activity.
  FIRST is a critical program because it reinforces science education. 
Science is not just another subject. It is fundamental like reading and 
math. Science brings order, harmony, and balance to our lives. It 
teaches us that our world is intelligible and not capricious. A 
scientific framework provides us the skill for lifelong learning, for 
creating progress itself. These are very important skills for the very 
complex times in which we live.
  I ask that all the members join me in congratulating these 34 North 
Brunswick Township High School Students for their excellence and their 
FIRST Robotics victory.

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