Leidos Sponsors 2014 FIRST® Championship

RESTON, Va., April 7, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Leidos [NYSE: LDOS], a national security, health and engineering solutions company, is continuing its longstanding commitment with FIRST^® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) in support of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education. Leidos is funding more than 120 teams, 38 of which are FIRST^® Robotics Competition (FRC^®) teams, providing employee coaches and mentors, and sponsoring elementary, middle and high school competitions across the country in regions with Leidos offices. In addition, Leidos is sponsoring 10 regional events and the FIRST Championship in St. Louis, Mo., April 23-26, 2014.

FIRST inspires interest in STEM careers among students ages six to 18, and hosts robotics competition at regional, national and international levels. Twenty teams sponsored by Leidos (formerly SAIC) were invited to participate in the 2013 FIRST Robotics Competition Championship held last April, and Leidos hopes to send as many teams again this year.

Leidos-sponsored events for this season include:

"Our employees demonstrate that STEM career paths are both important and rewarding," said Gulu Gambhir, chief technology officer (CTO) and K-12 STEM Program executive sponsor. "I've found that volunteering is equally fulfilling, providing an opportunity to see the enthusiasm and passion of FIRST participants."

As a supporter of FIRST, Leidos (formerly SAIC) has contributed nearly $2 million since 2009 and countless volunteer hours. In 2013 alone, Leidos employee volunteers logged more than 5,000 hours to K-12 STEM/FIRST activities – 33% of all total volunteer hours reported by the company.

"FIRST is grateful to have Leidos' continued support, and we are thrilled that they have signed on as a Sponsor for our annual Championship event," said Donald E. Bossi, FIRST President. "For years, Leidos has shown their passion for the FIRST mission by providing financial support to FIRST teams and events, as well as encouraging their employees to volunteer within our organization. Their multi-layered support for FIRST is extremely valuable and much appreciated."

About FIRST^®  
Accomplished inventor Dean Kamen founded FIRST^® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) in 1989 to inspire an appreciation of science and technology in young people. Based in Manchester, N.H., FIRST designs accessible, innovative programs to build self-confidence, knowledge, and life skills while motivating young people to pursue opportunities in science, technology, and engineering. With support from over 200 of the Fortune 500 companies and more than $19 million in college scholarships, the not-for-profit organization hosts the FIRST^® Robotics Competition (FRC^® ) for students in Grades 9-12; FIRST^® Tech Challenge (FTC^® ) for Grades 7-12; FIRST^® LEGO^® League (FLL^® ) for Grades 4-8; and Junior FIRST^® LEGO^® League (Jr.FLL^®) for Grades K-3. Gracious Professionalism^® is a way of doing things that encourages high-quality work, emphasizes the value of others, and respects individuals and the community. To learn more about FIRST, go to www.usfirst.org.

About Leidos
Leidos is a science and technology solutions leader working to address some of the world's toughest challenges in national security, health, and engineering. The Company's 22,000 employees support vital missions for our government and the commercial sector, develop innovative solutions to drive better outcomes, and defend our Nation's digital and physical infrastructure from 'new world' threats. Headquartered in Reston, Va., Leidos had annual revenues of approximately $5.77 billion for its fiscal year ended January 31, 2014, following the spin-off of the company's technical services and information technology business. For more information, visit www.Leidos.com. 

Statements in this announcement, other than historical data and information, constitute forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause our actual results, performance, achievements, or industry results to be very different from the results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Some of these factors include, but are not limited to, the risk factors set forth in the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the period ended January 31, 2014, and other such filings that Leidos makes with the SEC from time to time. Due to such uncertainties and risks, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof.

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SOURCE Leidos