[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 17 (Monday, January 29, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E205]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       TRIBUTE TO THE MEMBERS OF PREUSS SCHOOL UCSD ROBOTICS TEAM

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. SUSAN A. DAVIS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, January 29, 2007

  Mrs. DAVIS of California, Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the 
members of the Preuss School UCSD robotics team. Team 812, known as the 
Midnight Mechanics, have competed in the FIRST Robotics Competition--an 
annual robot design and construction contest that draws over 20,000 
participants from all over the world--for the past 5 years.
  For 2 years in a row, Team 812 has won the Regional Chairman's Awards 
for the Southern California Region. During the 2003-2004 competition, 
the Midnight Mechanics won the National Engineering Inspiration Award.
  But Team 812's accomplishments do not end outside the engineering lab 
or the construction shop. The team has initiated the FIRST BUDDY 
program to mentor disadvantaged students in math and science and 
established the FIRST STEPS program to reach out to inner-city high 
school students and share with them their zeal for science.
  Team 812 has also brought their passion into the classrooms and 
corridors of 10 other high schools in the San Diego area and has helped 
them field robotics teams of their own. Together the Midnight Mechanics 
and these 10 newer teams have formed the Team San Diego FIRST Robotics 
Coalition, a coordinating organization to build new partnerships in the 
community and recruit more high schools to field robotics teams.
  I am proud to report that through the hard work of the Midnight 
Mechanics and the Team San Diego FIRST Robotics Coalition, the City of 
San Diego will be hosting its inaugural FIRST Regional Competition this 
coming March.
  At a time when our country's young people are falling farther and 
farther behind those of other industrialized nations in math and 
science, I want to commend the members of Team 812, for their 
dedication to their craft, for their excellence in their efforts, and 
for their ability to instill a love of science in fellow young people. 
Not only are the Midnight Mechanics firstrate competitors, they are 
also true servants of the community. We need more role models like 
these to inspire our younger children.
  Finally, I want to recognize Paul Tran, the dedicated young man who 
first brought Team 812 to my attention. Paul wrote the following to me 
in a letter:

       We need your help to assist us in instituting FIRST 
     Robotics in every high school in San Diego, in California, 
     and essentially, the United States . . . We need your help to 
     bring FIRST to the attention of the U.S. House of 
     Representatives and Senate.

  Madam Speaker, dear colleagues, I hope you will help me fulfill 
Paul's request and spread the word about this wonderful program to all 
comers of our country.

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