FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TULSA, Okla. (May 2, 2023) – Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO), an American Electric Power (Nasdaq: AEP) company, today announced more than $35,000 in robotics grants to 16 school groups throughout the state. The grants range from $250 to $3,200.
The FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) robotics grants program is a nationwide initiative that supports pre-kindergarten through grade 12 student education with an emphasis on Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). This multi-national robotics competition teams professionals and students to solve an engineering problem in a challenging and competitive way. FIRST competitions are high-tech spectator sporting events demonstrating participants’ success in brainstorming, teamwork and meeting deadlines.
PSO’s parent company, American Electric Power, funds FIRST grants on behalf of its operating companies. Grants in 2023 totaled $200,000 across AEP’s 11-state service area.
“Students on robotics teams learn important STEM concepts and problem-solving skills. The hands-on experiences teach them to look at a challenging problem and solve it as a group under deadline pressure,” said Tiffini Jackson, PSO vice president, external affairs. “Those abilities will serve the students well as they pursue their educational and career goals.”
Robotics grant recipients for 2023 include:
- Adair High School
- Adair Middle School
- Anadarko High School
- Booker T. Washington High School (Tulsa Public Schools)
- Broken Arrow High School
- Caddo Kiowa Technology Center (Fort Cobb)
- Chickasha Public Schools
- Grove Public Schools (First Robotics Competition team)
- Grove Public Schools (First Tech Challenge team)
- Jenks High School
- McAlester High School
- Riverfield County Day School (Tulsa)
- Tri County Technology Center (Bartlesville)
- Tulsa School of Arts and Sciences
- Union Public Schools (First Robotics Competition team)
- Union Public Schools (First LEGO League Challenge team)
More information on FIRST robotics programs can be found at: www.firstinspires.org.
About PSO
PSO, a unit of American Electric Power (Nasdaq: AEP), is an electric utility company serving more than 568,000 customer accounts in eastern and southwestern Oklahoma, powering a cleaner, brighter energy future for its customers and 232 communities. Based in Tulsa, PSO has approximately 3,800 megawatts of diverse generating capacity that primarily includes wind and natural gas. It maintains and operates more than 24,000 miles of distribution lines and 3,700 miles of transmission lines and is one of the largest distributors of wind energy in the state. Find news releases and other information at www.PSOklahoma.com. Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, NextDoor and Instagram @PSOklahoma.
About American Electric Power (AEP)
American Electric Power, based in Columbus, Ohio, is powering a cleaner, brighter energy future for its customers and communities. AEP’s approximately 16,700 employees operate and maintain the nation’s largest electricity transmission system and more than 224,000 miles of distribution lines to safely deliver reliable and affordable power to 5.5 million regulated customers in 11 states. AEP also is one of the nation’s largest electricity producers with approximately 31,000 megawatts of diverse generating capacity, including more than 6,900 megawatts of renewable energy. The company’s plans include growing its renewable generation portfolio to approximately 50% of total capacity by 2030. AEP is on track to reach an 80% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions from 2005 levels by 2030 and has committed to achieving net zero by 2045. AEP is recognized consistently for its focus on sustainability, community engagement, and diversity, equity and inclusion. AEP’s family of companies includes utilities AEP Ohio, AEP Texas, Appalachian Power (in Virginia and West Virginia), AEP Appalachian Power (in Tennessee), Indiana Michigan Power, Kentucky Power, Public Service Company of Oklahoma, and Southwestern Electric Power Company (in Arkansas, Louisiana, east Texas and the Texas Panhandle). AEP also owns AEP Energy, which provides innovative competitive energy solutions nationwide. For more information, visit aep.com.
Media Contact:
Wayne Greene
PSO Corporate Communications
(918) 521-1474
lwgreene@aep.com