GRANDVILLE, Mich. — The Grandville Public Schools district has partnered with Bradford White Corp., a manufacturer of water heaters, boilers and storage tanks, for naming rights to the robotics fabrication laboratory at the district’s new Robotics Competition Center. 

Grant funds from Bradford White’s charitable giving program are targeted to support the robotics laboratory as a naming sponsor, as well as to support robotics teams and events at the new facility. The Robotics Competition Center, attached to the new Grandville Middle School, will be one of the largest built-for-purpose robotics competition centers in the country. Naming-rights sponsors for the facility are being coordinated through the Grandville Academic Team Boosters (GATB).

Under the terms of the sponsorship arrangement, Bradford White will provide $25,000 in annual funding over the five-year agreement.

“We are excited to partner with such a great organization as Bradford White. We are grateful for their support as we provide an amazing learning environment for our scholars,” said Roger Bearup, the Grandville superintendent.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with Grandville Public Schools and to provide funding that will positively impact the students in Michigan through meaningful workforce development training and education and exposure to industry careers,” said Rebecca Owens, senior communications manager, Bradford White. “Their robotics program has a successful history, and we look forward to a great partnership together.”

“The Grandville Robotics program is celebrating its 25^th year, and this new multi-year partnership with Bradford White Corp. marks a new milestone for us. Long-term sponsorships like this allow us to invest in equipment and make multi-year commitments that expand competitive robotics opportunities for students in Grandville and students from across the Great Lakes region,” said Doug Hepfer, the GATB president.