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Mid-Atlantic Broadband to Host MBC Challenge Cup for Southern Virginia Robotics Teams

MBC Furthers Its Mission to Support STEM Education in Its Footprint

South Boston, VA – March 2, 2015 – Mid-Atlantic Broadband Communities Corporation (MBC) announced today it will host the inaugural MBC Challenge Cup, a competition that rewards superior performance for robotics teams in Southern Virginia. The MBC Challenge Cup is an element of MBC’s dedicated investment in Southern Virginia to prepare students in the region for the 21st century workforce through science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM) education.

MBC is a proud sponsor of the six FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics Competition (FRC) teams in Southern Virginia, providing $6,000 to each team per season for the past three seasons to help cover the costs of designing and building a robot for competition.  The teams sponsored include the Chatham High Metal Minds, G.W. High Team Talon, Martinsville High MADawgs, Piedmont Governor’s School STAGS, Bluestone High Skrappy’s Zoo, and the Altavista Bionic Eagles.

Any of the six FRC teams sponsored by MBC that competes in the FRC Virginia Regional at the VCU Siegel Center taking place March 18-21, 2015 is eligible to participate and is automatically entered in the Challenge.

The highest ranking MBC-sponsored team at the Virginia Regional will be the champion of the MBC Challenge Cup and will receive $5,000 for their school along with the MBC Challenge Cup trophy to be displayed at their school for one year. The winning team will also receive an all-expense paid trip for private tours of the Rolls-Royce and Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing (CCAM) facilities in Prince George County, VA, and the Amazon Fulfillment Center in Petersburg, VA.

Social media is also taking the stage for a part of this competition.  On Facebook and Twitter, the teams can use the hashtag #MBCChallengeCup along with their identifying hashtag to post statuses and tweet to create buzz about their team.  The team with the most active social media presence using these hashtags through March 21st, the last day of the Virginia Regional competition, will receive $20 Amazon gift cards for each team member.

MBC has invested more than $136,000 for robotics programs since 2012 to help meet the workforce demands of current and future companies in the region.  STEM education is major facet that companies seek when deciding on a location for their operations, and as such, is important for the growth of economies.

“As MBC recruits new companies to Southern Virginia through our GoSOVA initiative, we are seeing an increase in companies investing in our region. This has and will continue to lead to an increase in employment opportunities. We have seen employment opportunities from data centers to agriculture, and want to ensure our region is prepared to fill these positions,” said Tad Deriso, MBC CEO. “Supporting our students via STEM education prepares our community for desirable next generation careers.”

About Mid-Atlantic Broadband Communities Corporation

Mid-Atlantic Broadband Communities Corporation (MBC) is a non-profit 501(c)(4) organization, committed to providing economic development leadership to Southern Virginia. MBC promotes economic development in Southern Virginia through the operation of a successful advanced open access fiber optic network, providing wholesale telecommunications transport services, colocation and tower leasing.  Since its inception in 2004 and by offering a state-of-the art fiber optic network, MBC has supported the recruitment of major investments including data centers, call center/operations centers, advanced manufacturing, research and development, and bio-tech industries. For more information, visit www.mbc-va.com.