Northrop Grumman Grant to San Fernando Valley School to Help Fund Student Involvement in Robotics Program

Northrop Grumman Corporation has awarded James Monroe High School in North Hills a $6,500 grant in support of an innovative robotics program aimed at providing students with skills that can prepare them for possible technical careers in the San Fernando Valley.

The students are part of the School of Engineering and Design at the North Hills area school. The grant will help pay for registration, robot-building kits, transportation to competitions in the Southern California area, and supplies and equipment for those students participating in the robotics program.

"Being part of the program helps students see there is something out there for them -- adults who are interested in their welfare and futures," said Lewis Chappelear, the leader and founder of the school's Engineering and Design program. "When kids are encouraged to reach beyond what they think they can do, the sky is the limit. They can go to college, get a good job, and everything becomes possible."

The students were introduced to Northrop Grumman three years ago at an Engineering Career Day. Since then the students have participated in personal development classes and tours at the company's Woodland Hills-based Navigation Systems Division. During these visits, the students had the opportunity to talk with engineers and other employees about their work and see first-hand how science and math courses can help prepare them for tomorrow's technical jobs.

"Northrop Grumman is committed to helping students in our community prepare themselves for technical careers," said Jim Myers, sector vice president and general manager of Northrop Grumman's Navigation System Division. "Both our future and the future of the defense industry depend on well-educated students with strong technical backgrounds."

Chappelear, the 2008 California Teacher of the Year, said although the students choose if they want to pursue college, the program and tours that they will take at valley businesses will help convince all students that they need to develop higher level skills to get good jobs like those in the aerospace field.

Northrop Grumman Corporation's Navigation Systems Division (NSD) supplies navigation and situational-awareness products for domestic and international defense and commercial markets. NSD products can be found in space, fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft, missiles, land vehicles and ships.

Northrop Grumman Corporation is a global defense and technology company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in information and services, electronics, aerospace and shipbuilding to government and commercial customers worldwide.