NEENAH, WI -- Plexus's charitable foundation has provided $50,000 to the Tesla Engineering Charter School. The grant was provided to update the Appleton East High School's Manufacturing Lab with a new state-of-the-art CNC milling machine.

This equipment will be used by students in Appleton's technology and engineering education programs.

Throughout the past 17 years, Plexus has partnered with the Appleton Area School District's FIRST Robotics Competition to promote science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) based education. In 2013 alone, Plexus employees volunteered over 2,200 hours of time to provide mentoring and leadership to more than 50 students within this program.

FIRST is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1989 to inspire an appreciation of science and technology in young people and hosts the national FIRST Robotics Competition.

Oliver Mihm, senior vice president of global engineering solutions and member of the Plexus Charitable Foundation, said, "Plexus is excited that our employees' efforts and dedication are creating passion for engineering and technology based careers among middle and high school students. We are advocates of STEM based curriculum and the robotics program due to the positive impacts it has on students and society. We take pride in seeing the countless ways students in the robotics program achieve success, as a result of our employees' dedication."

The grants have aided Plexu, too. One Tesla Engineering Charter School alumnus has joined the EMS company's workforce after earning a bachelor's in electrical engineering.