[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 52 (Tuesday, April 26, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E766]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          IN RECOGNITION OF THE HITCHHIKERS, ROBOTICS TEAM 481

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                         HON. ELLEN O. TAUSCHER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 26, 2005

  Mrs. TAUSCHER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize The 
Hitchhikers, Robotics Team 481, from my congressional district in 
California. This team won the Engineering Inspiration Award in March of 
2005 at the Portland, Oregon, Pacific Northwest Regional Robotics 
Competition. This award honors success in advancing the science of 
robotics. By winning this award, the Hitchhikers, Robotics Team 481, 
qualified to compete in the Championship Robotics Competition in 
Atlanta, Georgia, where they came in second out of 52 teams in the 
first round of competition.
  The Hitchhikers were created in an independent study course at Contra 
Costa College, San Pablo, California in the fall of 2002. Under the 
stewardship of Tom Murphy, a contra Costa College Instructor, Middle 
College formed its own FIRST robotics team, based on a commitment that 
the students would build a robot from the ground up. In December 2002, 
a grant from Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers provided initial funding 
for the Hitchhikers, and the team received its first robot-building 
supplies in January 2003. In 2004, budget woes triggered a merge with 
another award-winning team at nearby De Anza High School, with the 
hopes of keeping robotics alive for students throughout the school 
district. The students of the merged team resolved to keep De Anza's 
number 481 and Middle College's name ``The Hitchhikers'' as a sign of 
their unity. Since then, the team has connected with local and national 
supporters. Other sponsors of The Hitchhikers, Team 481, are NASA 
Robotics Education Project, the Ed Fund (West Contra Costa Public 
Education Fund), Chevron Richmond Refinery, TAP Plastics of EI Cerrito, 
Planner's Collaborative of Boston, MA and Honda of El Cerrito.
  The majority of Robotics Team 481's members are sophomores, juniors 
and seniors at Middle College, located on the Contra Costa College 
campus in San Pablo, California. Students also come from nearby De 
Anza, El Cerrito, and Pinole Valley high schools. The Middle College 
robotics team was created to help its members learn and understand 
scientific and engineering concepts while building team- and group-work 
skills. The Hitchhikers, Robotics Team 481, have managed to accomplish 
all this and have fun at the same time.
  The Hitchhikers, Robotics Team 481, competed in the FIRST Robotics 
Competition (FRC) National Championship in the Georgia Dome, Atlanta 
Georgia, April 21--23. FIRST, For Inspiration and Recognition of 
Science and Technology, is an organization founded on the sole 
principle of inspiring young people to find an interest in Science and 
Technology and using this knowledge in all aspects of life.
  Please join me in saluting The Hitchhikers, Robotics Team 481 on 
their excellent performance in this national robotics competition.

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