GREENVILLE, Texas – November 20, 2014 – The Robotics Education & Competition (REC) Foundation and the U.S. Army today announced a partnership expansion to support more than 15 regional VEX Robotics Competitions across the country and the 2015 VEX Robotics World Championship, which will take place April 15 – 18, 2015 at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, Ky. The partnership seeks to engage students in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) subject matter and enhance the competition experience for thousands of students across the U.S. In addition, the U.S. Army will bring exciting exhibits and attractions to the 2015 VEX Robotics World Championship to showcase the advanced and sophisticated array of technology developed and used by the Army. This intense four-day annual robotics-engineering tournament will attract more than 800 teams and 15,000 students from over 25 countries to celebrate their accomplishments and further inspire their interest in STEM.
“We value our expanded partnership with the U.S. Army and feel confident students will take full advantage of exploring the many engineering-focused exhibits the Army has to offer,” said Jason Morrella, president, REC Foundation. “It is our shared objective to advance student interest and achievement in STEM today, so that we may prepare these young people to become the problems-solvers and innovators of tomorrow.”
"The Army is proud to partner with the Robotics Education & Competition Foundation to bring robotics competitions to thousands of students across the country," said Mark S. Davis, deputy assistant secretary of the Army for marketing. "It is vital to the prosperity of our nation that America's youth be inspired by and have access to STEM opportunities in the classroom and through extracurricular initiatives. These robotics events are a perfect setting for students to learn more about STEM, and be exposed to the career opportunities available to them should they pursue STEM-related studies all while in a competitive and character-building environment."
Over the past year, the REC Foundation has partnered with the U.S. Army to support select regional events across the country. The expanded partnership with the U.S. Army enables more students throughout the United States to enjoy an enhanced competition experience and learn about the many STEM-focused programs and activities supported by the Army. With significant support from organizations like the U.S. Army and growing interest from students across the U.S. and internationally, the REC Foundation continues to experience 30% annual team growth.
The REC Foundation manages the VEX IQ Challenge, the VEX Robotics Competition and VEX U, which engage student teams worldwide in hands-on, curriculum-based robotics engineering programs while also providing valuable teamwork and problem-solving experience. Teams compete year-round at more than 800 events that culminate in April at the VEX Robotics World Championship.
VEX Robotics is the largest middle and high school robotics program in the world with more than 10,000 teams in all 50 states and more than 30 countries. To learn more about the REC Foundation, please visit www.RoboticsEducation.org or to locate a competition event, please visit www.RobotEvents.com.
About the Robotics Education & Competition Foundation
The REC Foundation seeks to increase student interest and involvement in science, technology, engineering and mathematics by engaging students in hands-on, sustainable and affordable curriculum-based robotics engineering programs across the U.S. and internationally. The REC Foundation develops partnerships with K-12 education, higher education, government, industry and the nonprofit community to achieve this work.
About the U.S. Army
The Army Marketing and Research Group (AMRG) is the U.S. Army's national marketing, marketing research and analysis and accessions analysis organization. The AMRG develops innovative and effective ways to: connect with the American public and make the Army more accessible and understood; increase awareness of both the benefits and value of Army service; and motivate the most qualified candidates to choose the Army as their service of first choice.
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Nearly 100 girls from more than 10 schools and organizations in the Southern California area gathered on Saturday, October 11, to learn more about engineering and robotics and kick off a regional effort to launch more all-girl VEX Robotics Competition teams. The event was led and directed by the REC Foundation and sponsored by the Metropolitan Water District. In addition, volunteers and mentors from Women in Science and Engineering from CSUN, Southern California Edison and College SWE Chapters in the area also participated in the program.
“As an engineer, I’m genuinely excited about the opportunity to share my passion for the field by mentoring and supporting young women who seek to engage in robotics,” said Lilly Shraibati, Infrastructure Reliability Manager at Metropolitan Water District. “It was a pleasure to host these local teams for a day of learning and we hope to continue to build momentum and engage more young women in weeks and months ahead.”
The event included a full day of activities with the main objective to provide information and resources to start a robotics team and also to create a sense of community among a large group of all-girl robotics teams. The girls learned the essentials on starting a team, building a robot, using an engineering notebook and testing their designs.
“It was a thrill to participate and engage these young women in the VEX Robotics Competition,” said Valerie Dunalp, Teacher at Louisville High School in Woodland Hills, CA. “I found the information extremely helpful and the girls were quickly able to grasp the concepts presented and build their own robot from the ground up!”
Young women from existing and new VEX Robotics Competition teams attended from the following schools and organizations: Louisville High School; LaReina High School, Alverno High School, Cornelia Connelly High School, Rosary High School, Pomona Catholic High School, St. Lucy’s High School, Holy Family High School, Notre Dame Academy and a local Girl Scout Troop. The next event will be held Saturday, November 22, at Glendale Community College. For more information, please contact Nancy McIntyre.
CANBERRA, Australia – August 2014 – Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) in partnership with the Robotics Education & Competition (REC) Foundation are pleased to announce the launch of the first Australian/New Zealand VEX Robotics Exhibition and Workshop. Veteran teams from New Zealand will join many newly developed teams from Australia at Dickson College, Dickson ACT, on the 23rd and 24th of August for an educational experience as part of National Science Week.
The Australian/New Zealand VEX Robotics Exhibition and Workshop is free and open to all ages. With thanks to Dickson College in Canberra who will host this event in their large main hall.
VEX Robotics is the world’s fastest growing competitive robotics program for elementary schools, high schools and colleges around the world. In the 2013-14 season more than 10,000 teams from 33 countries participated in more than 800 VEX Robotics competitions worldwide. The competition season culminates each spring, with the highly-anticipated VEX Robotics World Championship presented by the Northrop Grumman Foundation and the REC Foundation, which unites top qualifying teams from local, state, regional and international VEX Robotics events.
The VEX Robotics Competition is sponsored by the Northrop Grumman Foundation, which in 2013 provided support to launch the program in Australia with the development of 12 initial teams and a championship event. This year we anticipate many new teams joining the excitement.
“Northrop Grumman has seen the growth and increased interest in robotics engineering programs on a local level and we are thrilled to support the VEX Robotics Competition in the community’s where our employees live, work and educate their children,” said Ian Irving, chief executive, Northrop Grumman Australia.
“The REC Foundation recognizes that successfully preparing our children for the future global economy will require a strong understanding of science, technology, engineering and mathematics,” said Jason Morrella, president of the REC Foundation. “Robotics engineering programs naturally engage and inspire students to pursue Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) subjects and careers and we are committed to providing them with high quality competition opportunities, like the VEX Robotics Competition, to accommodate their growing interest. We could not do this without the support of sponsors like Northrop Grumman that share our passion for technology education.”
For details on upcoming events, please visit www.RobotEvents.com, a unique resource for teams and event partners to register and share updates from their robotics competitions. For more information about the REC Foundation, please visit www.RoboticsEducation.org.
About the Robotics Education & Competition Foundation
The Robotics Education & Competition Foundation, a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization, seeks to increase student interest and involvement in science, technology, engineering and mathematics by engaging students in hands-on, sustainable and affordable curriculum-based robotics engineering programs across the U.S. and internationally. The REC Foundation develops partnerships with K-12 education, higher education, government, industry and the nonprofit community to achieve this work. For more information, please visit www.recf.org or www.robotevents.com.
About Northrop Grumman
Northrop Grumman is a leading global security company providing innovative systems, products and solutions in unmanned systems, cyber, C4ISR, and logistics and modernization to government and commercial customers worldwide.
ROCKWALL, Texas – The Robotics Education & Competition (REC) Foundation and Kettering University today announced a partnership to establish 10 new scholarships for students participating in the annual VEX Robotics Competition, which are valued at $225,000. In addition, Kettering University will participate at the VEX Robotics World Championship as part of College Row on April 15-18, 2015.
“I welcome Kettering University’s involvement in the REC Foundation Scholarship Program, which now exceeds $2 million in awards and provides students in the VEX Robotics Competition the assistance they need as they seek to continue their education.” said Jason Morrella, president of the REC Foundation.
“A fundamental aspect of Kettering University’s experiential education model is the hands-on nature of the curriculum our students engage with in our labs and in their co-op employment placements,” said Kip Darcy, Vice President for Marketing, Communication and Enrollment, Kettering University. “This is a great opportunity for Kettering to partner with an organization that is developing those hands-on, technical skills in students at young ages.”
The REC Foundation manages the VEX IQ Challenge, the VEX Robotics Competition, and VEX U, which provides more than 10,000 teams of students worldwide with hands-on, curriculum-based robotics engineering programs while also offering valuable teamwork and problem-solving experience. Teams compete year-round at more than 800+ events, which culminate in April at the VEX Robotics World Championship.
Kettering University’s new scholarship offerings will expand the overall scholarship program to more than $2 million available to students participating in the VEX Robotics Competition. Kettering University will manage the application process and students must apply by March 1, 2015. To learn more about the REC Foundation Scholarship Program and the Kettering University application and requirements, please visit www.RoboticsEducation.org/Scholarships.
About the Robotics Education & Competition Foundation
The REC Foundation seeks to increase student interest and involvement in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) by engaging students in hands-on, sustainable and affordable curriculum-based robotics engineering programs across the U.S. and internationally. The REC Foundation develops partnerships with K-12 education, higher education, government, industry, and the non-profit community to achieve this work.
About Kettering University
Kettering University is a national leader in experiential STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education, integrating an intense academic curriculum with applied professional experience. Through this proven approach we inspire students to realize their potential and advance their ideas by combining theory and practice better than any institution in the world. Kettering University is dedicated to achieving the extraordinary through technological innovation, leadership and service, built on values that foster respect, integrity, creativity, collaboration and excellence in growth, global leadership, community outreach and an engaged community of stakeholders.
Honolulu, HI – July 14, 2014 – Students from the following schools secured top honors at the International VEX Robotics Summer Gamesthat took place this past weekend at the Hawaii Convention Center in Honolulu. Students competed in the 2013-14 season games, VEX Robotics Competition (VRC) Toss Up and VEX IQ Challenge Add It Up, while others participated in VRC Skyrise, to be among the first to qualify for the 2015 VEX Robotics World Championship. The following teams received the Excellence Award in their respective divisions: Team 1879A, Sultana High School from California for VEX Robotics Competition (VRC) Toss Up; Team 359A, Waialua High Intermediate School from Hawaii for VRC Skyrise; and Team 4442B, Island Pacific Academy from Hawaii for VEX IQ Challenge Add It Up.
The event, presented by the Robotics Education & Competition Foundation and the Friends of Hawaii Robotics, welcomed over 100 teams from seven countries and one territory, including: Canada, China, Colombia, Egypt, Lebanon, Mexico, Puerto Rico and the United States. Students competed in the last official tournament of the 2013-14 competition seasons and the first official tournament of the 2014-15 competition seasons.
“Students stepped up to the challenge and the robots they designed and built were extremely competitive. The ideas they bring to life never cease to amaze us and display hands-on application of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) skills, which will serve them well throughout their lives,” said Jason Morrella, president, REC Foundation.
“Months of work by dedicated volunteers culminated in an extraordinary tournament that featured three different robotics programs under one roof. We are so proud to have hosted this inaugural international event in order for hundreds of Hawaii students to compete against the best teams in the world. And, compete they did! Teams from around the state of Hawaii showed their expertise, utilizing real-world life skills, by winning their games as well as special awards. The Circle of Friends grew this weekend, and we look forward to greater support for Hawaii teams in the 2014-15 season,” said Lenny Klompus, president of Friends of Hawaii Robotics.
The overall International VEX Robotics Summer Games VRC Tournament Champions and VEX IQ Challenge Teamwork Champions were as follows:
| VRC Toss Up | VRC Skyrise | VEX IQ Challenge Add It Up |
| Team 177Z, Twisted Botz, Virginia | Team 359A, Waialua High School, Hawaii | Team 434K, Molokai Middle School, Hawaii |
| Team 3815B, Mad Techs, New Jersey | Team 394, Highlands Intermediate Robotics, Hawaii | Team 4442B, Island Pacific Academy, Hawaii |
| Team 5212A, Infernos, Idaho | Team 4142B, Pearl City High School, Hawaii |
The event was sponsored and presented by Oceanic Time Warner Cable, the U.S. Navy, and supported by the Hawaii Convention Center, the Northrop Grumman Foundation. Verizon Wireless showcased VGo – a telepresence robot that helps expand the educational experience for students almost anywhere – and other innovative wireless education solutions.
The International VEX Robotics Summer Games accommodates the exponential growth of the VEX IQ Challenge and the VEX Robotics Competition, which includes more than 10,000 teams, by providing new competition opportunities for teams at critical times of the year.
More information about all the award winners from the International VEX Robotics Summer Games and other events can be found at www.robotevents.comand www.friendsofhawaiirobotics.org.
About the Robotics Education & Competition (REC) Foundation
The Robotics Education & Competition Foundation, a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization, seeks to increase student interest and involvement in science, technology, engineering and mathematics by engaging students in hands-on, sustainable and affordable curriculum-based robotics engineering programs across the U.S. and internationally. The REC Foundation develops partnerships with K-12 education, higher education, government, industry and the nonprofit community to achieve this work. For more information, please visit www.recf.org or www.robotevents.com.
About the Friends of Hawaii Robotics
Friends of Hawaii Robotics is a registered, Hawaii 501(c)(3) not-for-profit, non-partisan organization that supports Hawaii schools nine robotics programs. Recognizing the importance of promoting robotics at an early age and sustaining students’ interest in STEM education, “Friends” volunteer Board of Directors is laser-focused in their dedication to Hawaii’s students in elementary, middle and high school. Their mission, and year-round commitment, is to create opportunities for students to develop essential 21st-century real-world life skills, preparing them to become Hawaii’s leaders of tomorrow.
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ROCKWALL, Texas – July 1, 2014 – Students from the following schools secured top honors at the Technology Student Association (TSA) National Conference VEX Robotics Championship that took place in National Harbor, Maryland this past weekend. Each team received the Excellence Award, Tournament Champion, Robot Skills Award and Programming Skills Award in their respective divisions: Team 6135B, Central Hardin High School from Cecilia, Kentucky in the VEX Robotics Competition High School Division and Team 2711, Haile Middle School from Bradenton, Florida in the VEX Robotics Competition Middle School Division. In the VEX IQ Challenge Middle School Division the Teamwork Challenge went to Team 7222W & Team 7222Z, Nolan Middle School from Lakewood Ranch, Florida and Team 7222W also received the Excellence Award and Robot Skills Award.
The students took part in three full days of competition with 100 teams participating from across the United States in conjunction with the 2014 TSA National Conference. The action-packed competition schedule required middle and high school students to execute the VEX Robotics Competition Toss Up, a game that requires students to maneuver their robots on a 12’x12’ field to score points by positioning small BuckyBalls and Large Balls in Goals. Teams compete in matches consisting of a fifteen-second autonomous period followed by one minute and forty-five seconds of driver-controlled play plus individual Program Skills and Robot Skills Challenges. Teams also competed in the VEX IQ Challenge Add It Up, which is played on a 4’x 8’ field as teams work together to achieve the highest score by placing Scoring Balls in Floor Goals, Low Goals, High Goals and Filling Rings.
“Over the past three days, the students have demonstrated a great deal of engineering skill and their appreciation for science, technology, engineering and mathematics is evident in their overall enthusiasm for TSA and the VEX Robotics Competition,” said Jason Morrella, president of the Robotics Education & Competition Foundation. “Together, the REC Foundation and TSA have made significant strides by engaging students in hands-on robotics engineering programs and enabling them to gain skills that will serve them well throughout their lives.”
To prepare for the competition, the groups of students worked together to design and build a robot using VEX IQ and VEX EDR, that could quickly and efficiently solve specific obstacles and challenges that come with playing the 2013-14 games, VEX IQ Challenge Add It Up and VEX Robotics Competition Toss Up.
Each week, students apply what they’ve learned about science, technology, engineering and math in order to build the semiautonomous machines. An equally important set of skills is learned through the competition – design, communication, project management, teamwork, and the importance of composure, as students learn to deal with adversity in maximizing the design and performance of their robots wins and losses.
The TSA National Conference VEX Robotics Championship is one of a series of VEX IQ Challenge events and VEX Robotics Competitions taking place internationally throughout the year. The REC Foundation manages the VEX IQ Challenge, the VEX Robotics Competition and VEX U, which are the world’s fastest growing competitive robotics programs for students in elementary school, middle school, high school, and college. Last season more than 10,000 teams from 33 countries participated in more than 800 events worldwide. More information about The REC Foundation is available at RobocticsEducation.org and RobotEvents.com.
About the REC Foundation
The Robotics Education & Competition Foundation, a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization, seeks to increase student interest and involvement in science, technology, engineering and mathematics by engaging students in hands-on, sustainable and affordable curriculum-based robotics engineering programs across the U.S. and internationally. The REC Foundation develops partnerships with K-12 education, higher education, government, industry and the nonprofit community to achieve this work. For more information, please visit www.recf.org or www.robotevents.com.
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ROCKWALL, Texas – June 26, 2014 – The Robotics Education & Competition (REC) Foundation and Friends of Hawaii Robotics today announced that the International VEX Robotics Summer Games will welcome over 100 elementary, middle and high school teams from seven countries, including: Canada, China, Colombia, Egypt, Lebanon, Mexico and the United States.
The event, which takes place at the Hawaii Convention Center in Honolulu on July 10-12, 2014, marks the last official tournament of the 2013-14 competition season and the first official tournament of the 2014-15 competition season.
Teams participating in the 2013-14 season game will be playing VEX Robotics Competition (VRC) Toss Up and VEX IQ Challenge (VIQC) Add It Up. Others will be participating in VRC Skyrise, for the chance to be among the first to qualify for the 2015 VEX Robotics World Championship.
The 2014 International VEX Robotics Summer Games is organized and managed by Friends of Hawaii Robotics in conjunction with the Hawaii State VEX Steering Committee and the REC Foundation. The event is sponsored and presented by Oceanic Time Warner Cable, the U.S. Navy, and the Northrop Grumman Foundation. Verizon will showcase VGo – a telepresent robot that helps expand the educational experience for students almost anywhere – and other innovative wireless education solutions.
“The International VEX Robotics Summer Games will be a phenomenal experience for students around the world to compete in three days of thrilling robotics engineering challenges that celebrates their passion for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM),” said Jason Morrella, president, REC Foundation.
“Oceanic Time Warner Cable (OTWC), and its employees, are ‘all in’ as it relates to the building of STEM education, specifically robotics, in the State of Hawaii. Friends of Hawaii Robotics has shown its heart for Hawaii students by ensuring more opportunities are available to grow their scholastic skills. We are excited to play a key role with this exciting, new tournament,” said Gregg Fujimoto, president, OTWC.
The International VEX Robotics Summer Games accommodates the exponential growth of the VEX IQ Challenge and the VEX Robotics Competition, which includes more than 10,000 teams, by providing new competition opportunities for teams at critical times of the year.
“Friends of Hawaii Robotics is honored to be working with the REC Foundation to host such a high profile inaugural event in Hawaii,” said Lenny Klompus, chair and president, Friends of Hawaii Robotics. “Hawaii is perfectly positioned geographically for student robotics teams from around the world to gather, collaborate, and compete. This international event reinforces Hawaii’s important role in the ever-growing robotics community, as highlighted by the participation of teams from North America, SouthAmerica and as far away as Egypt and Lebanon.”
More information about the International VEX Robotics Summer Games and other events can be found at www.robotevents.com. More information about the International VEX Robotics Summer Games and other events can be found at www.robotevents.com.
About the Robotics Education & Competition (REC) Foundation
The Robotics Education & Competition Foundation, a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization, seeks to increase student interest and involvement in science, technology, engineering and mathematics by engaging students in hands-on, sustainable and affordable curriculum-based robotics engineering programs across the U.S. and internationally. The REC Foundation develops partnerships with K-12 education, higher education, government, industry and the nonprofit community to achieve this work. For more information, please visit www.recf.org or www.robotevents.com.
About the Friends of Hawaii Robotics
Friends of Hawaii Robotics is a registered, Hawaii 501(c)(3) not-for-profit, non-partisan organization that supports Hawaii schools nine robotics programs. Recognizing the importance of promoting robotics at an early age and sustaining students’ interest in STEM education, “Friends” volunteer Board of Directors is laser-focused in their dedication to Hawaii’s students in elementary, middle and high school. Their mission, and year-round commitment, is to create opportunities for students to develop essential 21st-century real-world life skills, preparing them to become Hawaii’s leaders of tomorrow. For more information, visit www.friendsofhawaiirobotics.org
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June 17, 2014 – The Robotics Education & Competition (REC) Foundation and the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) today announced a partnership to establish 20 new VEX Robotics Competition teams through NSBE’s Pre-College Initiative (PCI) program to encourage interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics as academic subjects and as future career paths. In addition, the partnership will enable the REC Foundation and NSBE to promote awareness and opportunities for students, including scholarships, by presenting at each organization’s regional and national events and conferences, such as the VEX Robotics World Championship in April 2015 and the NSBE 41st Annual Convention on March 25-29, 2015 in Anaheim, CA.
“I’m thrilled to announce our partnership with the National Society of Black Engineers and identify strategies to further engage students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics through the VEX Robotics Competition,” said Jason Morrella, President, REC Foundation. “Access to hands-on robotics engineering is a critical offering to spark interest in STEM and I look forward to working with NSBE to expand our efforts to reach students and schools in need across the United States.”
“The scholarships and activities that are now accessible to our young people will be invaluable as NSBE continues to form partnerships that ultimately increase the numbers of those exposed to engineering,” said Sossena Wood, NSBE’s National Chair.
The REC Foundation manages the VEX IQ Challenge, the VEX Robotics Competition and VEX U, which provide 10,107 teams of students worldwide with hands-on, curriculum-based robotics engineering programs while also offering valuable teamwork and problem-solving experience. Teams compete year-round at more than 800+ events which culminate in April at the VEX Robotics World Championship. The VEX Robotics Competition presents an annual engineering challenge in the form of an exciting game. Middle school and high school students, with guidance from teachers and mentors, design and build innovative robots and compete year-round at local, regional and state events. The partnership with NSBE will uniquely position the REC Foundation to respond to growing demand in communities in the U.S, which the two organizations will jointly identify. To learn more about the REC Foundation, please visit www.RoboticsEducation.org.
About the Robotics Education & Competition Foundation
The REC Foundation seeks to increase student interest and involvement in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) by engaging students in hands-on, sustainable and affordable curriculum-based robotics engineering programs across the U.S. and internationally. The REC Foundation develops partnerships with K-12 education, higher education, government, industry, and the non-profit community to achieve this work.
About the National Society of Black Engineers
With more than 30,000 members, the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) is one of the largest student-governed organizations in the country. A not-for-profit founded in 1975, NSBE now includes more than 310 collegiate, pre-collegiate and technical professional chapters globally. NSBE’s mission is “to increase the number of culturally responsible black engineers who excel academically, succeed professionally and positively impact the community.”
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Cameron Akker is the 2014 REC Foundation-RoboMatter scholarship recipient and will receive $5,000 intended for students pursuing a degree related to science, technology, engineering or mathematics. Cameron attended Redmond High School and is a member of VEX Team 575, Exothermic Robotics of Redmond, Washington. He will attend Harvard University this fall. Cameron, on far right, is pictured here with his Exothermic Robotics teammates.
Cameron started programming for the first time in 9th grade and pursued a variety of summer programs to improve his skills. He began by learning RobotC, picked up Java at a Stanford University program, and took a course focused on robotics programming using language C at the University of Pennsylvania. Last summer, Cameron put his knowledge to use and got together with friends he met through robotics to start a mobile app company. Working straight through the summer, the group was able to create and release two Android games on Google Play.
When it comes to programming robots Cameron says, “Virtual worlds is an excellent interface through which I’ve been able to program without the rough, troublesome physicality of actual robots. It’s helpful to be able to test programs without the possibility of one mistake leading to a physical robot’s untimely demise. The Carnegie Mellon Robotics Academy sponsored Robot Virtual Worlds Competition provides an exciting chance to experience the thrill of robotics programming without needing to attend a physical robotics competition.”
“Understanding programming has also aided the way I build robots to participate in the VEX Robotics Competition,” continues Cameron. “Instead of building an entire robot and then programming it, I program the robot at every step of the build process. As a result, I don’t have to wait until the end of the build process to find broken motors or faulty engineering, but can rather find them along the way. Understanding programming has also allowed me to better set up sensors on a competition robot. Instead of putting sensors on the robot and later figuring out how to incorporate them, I only add sensors when there is a clear need in programming for them.”
The REC Foundation and RoboMatter congratulate Cameron Akker on his well-deserved scholarship award and wish him much success in his college career at Harvard University.
ROCKWALL, TEXAS - April 28, 2014 - Last weekend, the Anaheim Convention Center was taken over by more than 15,000 participants from 27 countries, as 760 of the world’s best student-run robotics teams demonstrated their Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) skills, going head to head with custom-built and programmed robots at the VEX Robotics World Championship, presented by the Robotics Education & Competition (REC) Foundation and the Northrop Grumman Foundation. After a long and spirited series of matches, teams from Canada, China, Mexico and the United States ultimately came out on top, taking home the coveted Winning Alliance trophies for the VEX IQ Elementary & Middle School World Championship, the VEX Robotics Competition Middle & High School World Championship, and the VEX U World Championship competitions.
“This year, we surpassed 10,000 VEX Robotics teams, hailing from over 33 countries – 760 of which qualified to attend VEX Worlds. Each of these teams pushed themselves every day as they stretched and strengthened their STEM skills and learned to work as a team,” said Jason Morrella, president of the Robotics Education and Competition (REC) Foundation. “Not only does this weekend represent the exciting culmination of their enormous effort, but it also represents just the beginning of what these students can hope to accomplish as they continue with their STEM learning. We are impressed by all they have achieved, and excited about all the great opportunities opening up for them in their futures,” concluded Morrella.
Sandra Evers-Manly, president of the Northrop Grumman Foundation, told the audience during the final ceremony, “On behalf of the Northrop Grumman Foundation, we are truly honored to serve as the presenting sponsor of this amazing competition. We are more than excited about what we have seen here. You represent our future. You represent the here and now. You are not only cool but you are making a difference for years to come.”
The global championship kicked-off on Wednesday and Thursday with initial qualification matches and skills challenges. By Friday morning, the excitement was palpable as thousands of young engineers filed into the VEX Dome to participate in the parade of nations, where students from all the teams proudly displayed their respective countries’ brilliant flags. Following the parade, it was time for the teams to jump into an afternoon full of intense back-to-back qualification matches. Legendary skateboarder Tony Hawk could be seen visiting with the teams before providing a few opening remarks later in the evening, during which he encouraged the students to stick with their passion for STEM as it will lead to a future full of career potential.
By Saturday, qualification rounds came to an end, the top performing teams went through the alliance selection process, and the division champion alliances collaborated to advance over their toughest competition yet in the finals. A dynamic light show and DJ experience added to to the atmosphere during the finals, guiding teams and spectators through the award ceremonies.
Altogether, 760 VEX teams out of more than 10,000 teams worldwide qualified to compete in one of five challenges hosted by the REC Foundation this past weekend. The competitions included: VEX IQ Challenge Elementary School World Championship (ages 8-10), VEX IQ Challenge Middle School World Championship (ages 11-14) VRC Middle School World Championship (ages 11-14), VRC High School World Championship (ages 15-18) and VEX U (ages 18+).
The 2014 VEX Robotics World Championship Alliance Winners are as follows:
One team from each of the five divisions also received the Excellence Award,the highest honor in the VEX Robotics World Championship, given to the team with the most well-rounded VEX Robotics program. The TechnoBots from Vega Baja, Puerto Rico received the award for VEX IQ Elementary. The Reisenschein from McLean, Virginia received the award for VEX IQ Middle School. The Highlands Inter Robotics from Pearl City, Hawaii was presented with the award for VRC Middle School. The Haslett VEX Raptors MSU from East Lansing, Michigan received the award for VRC High School. The OYES Robotics from Auckland, New Zealand received the award for VEX U.
Several other technical and value-based awards were presented to teams throughout the event. Below is a list of the teams and individuals that were recognized for excelling in some of the top categories. For a complete list of award winners, including winners of the online challenges, visit http://www.robotevents.com/championship.
For those looking forward to getting a jump on next year’s robot designs, the 2014/2015 season games will be VEX Highrise (VEX IQ Challenge) and VEX Skyrise (VEX Robotics Competition).
Partners and sponsors of the 2014 VEX Robotics Competition World Championship includes Northrop Grumman Foundation, EMC, NASA, Chevron, Microchip, Texas Instruments and HEXBUG. In addition, VEX Robotics continually reaches students in the classroom through key partnerships with notable education-based organizations, Project Lead the Way (PLTW) and Technology Students Association (TSA).
About REC Foundation
The REC Foundation seeks to increase student interest and involvement in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) by engaging students in hands-on, sustainable and affordable curriculum-based robotics engineering programs across the U.S. and internationally. Its goal is to provide these programs with services, solutions, and a community that allows them to flourish in a way that fosters the technical and interpersonal skills necessary for students to succeed in the 21st Century. The REC Foundation develops partnerships with K-12 education, higher education, government, industry, and the non-profit community to achieve this work so that one day these programs become accessible to all students and all schools in all communities. For more information on REC Foundation, visit www.recf.org.
About VEX Robotics
VEX Robotics is a leading provider of educational and competitive robotics products to schools, universities and robotics teams around the world. The company’s three product lines, VEX IQ, the VEX Robotics Design System and VEXpro, are backed by 250 man years of experience supporting educational robotics programs and designed to be affordable, accessible and scalable. The company also partners with the non-profit Robotics Education & Competition Foundation to support the world’s largest and fastest growing competitive robotics program for elementary schools, middle schools, high schools and colleges around the world. The VEX IQ Challenge, the VEX Robotics Competition, and VEX U were designed to give a diverse group of students the chance to celebrate their accomplishments and share their passion for robotics with each other. In 2013-2014, over 10,100 teams from 33 countries have participated in over 750 competitions worldwide.
