ORANGE, CA — April 14, 2015 — Robotics Team 4322 - Clockwork Oranges will compete against the top 600 teams from around the globe at the FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) World Championships next week. They earned the spot by becoming Regional Finalists at last month’s competition in Las Vegas.

Clockwork Oranges started four years ago as a team of 8 STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) students and has grown to include 20 enthusiastic members from El Modena, Villa Park, and Canyon High Schools. Participation in the FRC qualifies students for a pool of more than $20 million in FIRST scholarships.

Every year, starting on the first Saturday of January, FRC season begins. FIRST releases information about the year's game and goal, giving more than 3,000 teams from around the world only six weeks to brainstorm, design, prototype, program, and build a robot that can compete. Throughout the FRC season, students learn real world applications for STEM such as project management, product development, design, fabrication, assembly, graphics, and business skills.

In the off-build season, the team works to develop community interest in robotics and other STEM-oriented activities and careers. This year they participated in the City of Orange event Treats in the Streets and the Old Towne Orange Plaza Tree Lighting Ceremony. Clockwork Oranges also held a Build-a-Robot-in-a-Day Camp for 2nd-6th graders, where young students had the opportunity to learn more about robotics as well as build their own robot to take home.

The name “Clockwork Oranges” was inspired by the City of Orange’s historical citrus farming industry combined with the team slogan referencing the amount of precision that goes into the design and building of the robot: “Just Like Clockwork.”

For more information about the Clockwork Oranges and their registered non-profit organization, Orange Robotics Advocates, please visit their website at http://frc4322.com/