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Drexel, Penn pay Central team's way to robotics championship

A caller awaited Central High School's principal when he arrived at school Wednesday: Mayor Nutter. The city's chief executive, it turns out, had read an Inquirer story detailing the plight of Central's RoboLancers, the student-led robotics program. The team recently won the organization's top honor and a pass to its world championship in St. Louis next week - but needed $35,000 to get there.

A caller awaited Central High School's principal when he arrived at school Wednesday: Mayor Nutter.

The city's chief executive, it turns out, had read an Inquirer story detailing the plight of Central's RoboLancers, the student-led robotics program. The team recently won the organization's top honor and a pass to its world championship in St. Louis next week - but needed $35,000 to get there.

"He told me it was important for us to be at Worlds," principal Timothy McKenna said. "He said he was going to make calls on our behalf."

The mayor called back within the hour telling McKenna the team was on its way.

The RoboLancers, who receive no money from the struggling Philadelphia School District, were promised $20,000 each from the University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University to get to the St. Louis competition.

Separately, an online fund-raising campaign the team started has netted gifts from alumni and supporters of more than $15,000 - enough to sustain the program and continue students' outreach efforts.

Nutter said he was proud of the universities and of the students, who built a 120-pound robot from scratch in six weeks as part of the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) program.

Drexel president John Fry, in a statement, said the RoboLancers were an inspiration.

"These students are outstanding problem-solvers and reflect great credit on the city, and Drexel University is honored to help them get to St. Louis," Fry said.

Amy Gutmann, Penn's president, said the university was "absolutely delighted to aid the students at Central High so they can pursue this very exciting challenge."

Head coach Michael Johnson said Central students and staffers were "super-excited - in disbelief."

The trip to St. Louis will be the first time some students have left the region, the principal said. "This creates a life-changing opportunity for 40 students who have worked incredibly hard," McKenna said. "These are the days you relish as a high school administrator in Philadelphia."

Given Nutter's key role in securing the funding, McKenna said he thought it only fair that he offer to make him an honorary RoboLancer for the trip. The team - 37 students and a handful of chaperones and mentors - is finalizing details for the trip coming up in a weeks: 15 hours by bus each way to Missouri.

"I did offer Mayor Nutter a seat on the bus," McKenna said. "He laughed at me and said, 'No thanks.' "