A local teen will have some extra cash in his pocket as he prepares to head off to university in the fall.
Ethan Xiao, a recent graduate of Ursuline College Chatham and member of the CK Cyber Pack robotics team, has been named one of five recipients of the 2024-25 Windsor-Essex FIRST Robotics bursary program, taking home $1000. Xiao will be studying engineering with a co-op at McMaster University this September.
The annual bursaries are named in honour of James Broom and Spencer James — a student and mentor of FIRST Robotics teams at Maranatha Christian Academy and Belle River High School, respectively — who passed away in 2014. The bursaries recognize graduating FRC students who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to their team, leadership in the community, and a passion for STEM.
“We received many excellent applications this year from members of teams across Windsor-Essex and Chatham-Kent,” says Michelle Bondy, WEFR Board Member and Chair of this year’s selection committee. “It is always a pleasure to read how each student has contributed to their FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) team and to their community. Each and every one of the applicants should be proud of their accomplishments!”
Other recipients include Kaitlyn Azar of Holy Names Catholic High School, Frida Xin from Vincent Massey Secondary School, Jiewen Zheng from Sandwich Secondary School, and Jingshu Zhu of St. Thomas of Villanova Catholic High School.
