From ASEE First Bell April 30, 2009
USA Today (4/30, Der Bedrosian) reports that Brian Toohey, “senior vice president for international affairs at Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, is rallying support among members of Congress and Department of Education employees for legislation” that would “make a robotics education accessible to every public high school.” Noting that “the publicity boost” from the recent FIRST championship in Atlanta may help his cause, Toohey “is crafting legislation that could secure $100 million over five years” to “fund a program that would allow inner-city schools access to the FIRST program.” Toohey, who has volunteered with the program for several years, called the amount “modest,” noting that currently, FIRST “relies on corporate sponsors, but…has had a tough time finding sponsors and mentors for low-income areas.” Toohey added, “We’ve seen (the program) work in thousands of schools across the country, and we know that the model works.”