VEX and REC Information
Overview
The VEX Robotics Competition, presented by the Robotics Education & Competition (REC) Foundation, is the largest and fastest growing middle and high school robotics program globally with more than 20,000 teams from 50 countries playing in over 1,700 competitions worldwide. Each year, an exciting engineering challenge is presented in the form of a game. Students, with guidance from their teachers and mentors, build innovative robots and compete year-round in a variety of matches. In addition to learning valuable engineering skills, students gain life skills such as teamwork, perseverance, communication, collaboration, project management, and critical thinking. The VEX Robotics Competition prepares students to become future innovators with 95% of participants reporting an increased interest in STEM subject areas and pursuing STEM-related careers.
VEX Robotics Competitions
VEX robotics competitions (VRC) are presented on the Robot Events website. The description on the site indicates the location, date, and time of the event. Most VRC events are open to the public, and very few events charge admission to the public (not to be confused with the registration fees for teams).
Most VRC events are held in school gymnasiums or common areas. These venues include work areas–called "the pits"–for the teams to prepare, one or more 12'x12' competition fields, a scoring table, referees, field reset crews, and a variety of other volunteers. During a match, four robots compete, two on the "blue alliance" and two on the "red alliance." The two alliances compete in a sports-like game. In a separate competition, individual robots compete against the clock to rack up as many points as possible, known as a Skills Competition. Teams also vie for numerous awards at events bestowed by a panel of judges. Match and skills competitions, as well as awards, provide paths to the state, national, and world competitions. The website VRC Current Game provides the rules and a video of the current game. There may also be robots competing in the Programming and Robot Skills Challenges.
2024-25 Competition Game: High Stakes
Every April at the VEX robotics Competition World Championship (or May in the case of 2021), the REC Foundation announces the rules for the next year's high school and middle school VRC game, along with the rules for the new VEX Robotics College Competition. Please see our home page for more information.
Robotics Education & Competition (REC) Foundation
"The Robotics Education & Competition Foundation exists to connect students, mentors, and schools in every community to a variety of successful and engaging technology-based programs. Our 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. Whether it's a competitive event, workshop, camp, or conference we understand the unprecedented level of passion and commitment it takes to create, maintain, and execute such programs. The Robotics Education and Competition Foundation is committed to promoting technology and related student and professional advancement so that one day these programs become accessible to all students and all schools in all communities." -- REC Foundation website
Click here for the REC website.
Click here for Illinois VEX robotics competition (VRC) tournaments on the REC website.