Grapevine-Colleyville ISD’s Technical Education and Career Center was selected as one of 100 schools nationwide to receive a $10,000 robotics grant from online retail giant Amazon through its Future Engineer program, according to an April announcement from Amazon’s public relations team.

The Amazon Future Engineer program is designed to train and educate students from underserved and low-income communities to pursue careers in computer science, according to its website.

The selected schools will benefit from $10,000 to expand computer science education, a tour of an Amazon fulfillment center and resources to start a robotics team with For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology, according to an April 11 news release from Amazon.

For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology, or FIRST, is a nonprofit that offers programs in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

“The Amazon grant will allow us to expand our robotics/computer science offerings by allowing the students to participate in the FIRST Tech Challenge,” said Rick Bracy, director of GCISD Career and Technical Education, in an email response.

The Tech Challenge is one of the programs offered by FIRST. It is designed for students in seventh through 12th grade to participate by designing, building and programming a robot to compete against other teams.

“Teams, with the guidance of coaches, mentors and volunteers, are required to develop strategy and build robots based on innovative, sound engineering principles,” Bracy said in the email. “Students will also be given the opportunity to take part in the Camp Amazon that will allow them to grow in their understanding of robotics operations in industrial applications.”