Bosch Community Fund awards $35,000 in grants to schools, foundations in West Memphis, Ark.

- Grants support Mechatronics program, community garden and STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) robotics afterschool program - Since 2015, schools and organizations in the West Memphis area have received $70,000 in Bosch Community Fund grants FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. – The Bosch Community Fund recently awarded $35,000 in grants to two schools and a foundation in the West Memphis, Arkansas, area. The grants support science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) and sustainability education. “I’ve worked for Bosch for 16 years and Bosch has always made an effort to affect the communities we live in a positive manner,” said Marion Littlejohn, Human Resources partner, Robert Bosch Tool Corp. “Bosch continues to play a major role in supporting STEM programs and in an area such as West Memphis, the impact is tremendous. As a representative of Bosch and a member of the community, it makes us proud to work for a company such as Bosch that makes philanthropy a core tenet of its business.” Recipients of the grants are: - Mid-South Community College Foundation, Inc.: The $15,000 grant funds the construction of four plastic recycling machines by Arkansas State University Mid-South Mechatronics faculty and students, promoting science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) careers and sustainability within the Mechatronics program. The machines are: a shredding machine that will shred plastic into flakes for use in other machines to create new products; a compression machine that heats and presses plastic into a mold to create large, solid objects; an injection machine that heats plastic flakes and injects them into a mold; and an extrusion machine that takes plastic flakes and extrudes them into a line of plastic, used for 3D printing filament. The recycled plastics from the machines will be used to create products for use by the students in the school’s STEM program. - Faulk Elementary School: A $10,000 grant funds a science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM) robotics afterschool program at the school. The program helps develop workforce readiness skills and increase knowledge of STEAM topics for students in grades 3-5. A team of 30 students and two educators meet twice a month and showcase the results of their work at the end of the school year. - Jackson Elementary School: Aiding in a two-year School/Community Garden Project (SCGP), the $10,000 grant provides students with garden-based lessons that incorporate components of STEM education. Teachers have an outdoor classroom and provide students with opportunities to experience hands-on and inquiry-based lessons. Students learn about the concept of seed growth, use electronic soil and moisture testers to gather growing information, and help plan and design the outdoor classroom where lessons occur. The goal is to increase knowledge of reading, math and science, while establishing an understanding of ecology and the environment, nutrition and teamwork. “The Bosch Community Fund has been exceptionally good to our Foundation and Arkansas State University Mid-South,” said Debra West, chancellor of Arkansas State University Mid-South. “This latest grant offers multi-faceted benefits by allowing our Mechatronics students to get real-world experience while creating recycling machines that will produce materials to be used in our other technical programs.” Since 2015, the Bosch Community Fund has donated $70,000 in grants to schools and organizations in the West Memphis area. About the Bosch Community Fund The Bosch Community Fund, a U.S.-based foundation established in September 2011, has awarded more than $12 million in grants to various 501(c)(3) organizations and educational institutions. The BCF focuses primarily on the enrichment of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education and the advancement of environmental sustainability initiatives. About Bosch Having established a regional presence in 1906 in North America, the Bosch Group employs some 31,000 associates in more than 100 locations, as of December 31, 2015. In 2015, Bosch generated consolidated sales of $14 billion in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. For more information, visit www.boschusa.com, www.bosch.com.mx and www.bosch.ca. The Bosch Group is a leading global supplier of technology and services. It employs roughly 375,000 associates worldwide (as of December 31, 2015). The company generated sales of $78.3 billion (70.6 billion euros) in 2015. Its operations are divided into four business sectors: Mobility Solutions, Industrial Technology, Consumer Goods, and Energy and Building Technology. The Bosch Group comprises Robert Bosch GmbH and its roughly 440 subsidiaries and regional companies in some 60 countries. Including sales and service partners, Bosch’s global manufacturing and sales network covers some 150 countries. The basis for the company’s future growth is its innovative strength. Bosch employs 55,800 associates in research and development at 118 locations across the globe. The Bosch Group’s strategic objective is to deliver innovations for a connected life. Bosch improves quality of life worldwide with products and services that are innovative and spark enthusiasm. In short, Bosch creates technology that is “Invented for life.” Additional information is available online at www.bosch.com, www.bosch-press.com and twitter.com/BoschPresse. Exchange rate: 1 EUR = $1.1095