2020-21 Girl Powered Online Challenges Winners

March 29, 2021

Congratulations to the winners of the 2020-21 Girl Powered Online Challenge, sponsored by Google.

The Girl Powered Online Challenge was created to show the robotics community at large just what it means to be a Girl Powered team! This season’s Girl Powered Online Challenge submissions were exceptionally compelling, engaging, and insightful, showcasing how teams experienced Girl Powered during one of the most challenging seasons to date.

We are so proud of these teams’ accomplishments and the stories that they shared. Continue reading below for some Girl Powered inspiration.

1st Place Winners

VIQC: Team 99808 A, NOVA IQ Robotics

Jeanelle wrote her Girl Powered essay about how girls are encouraged to rise above an invisible glass ceiling that is halting their progress in their careers. Read her essay here.

V5RC: Team 5327Z

Karen Zhao, Chelsea Lee, Angela Chao, Paulette Peram, Jeia So, Dylan Wang, Jacob Sommer, Samuel Wu, and Andres Silvera wrote about how their team is Girl Powered and how their team benefits from diversity. Read their essay here.

2nd Place Winners

VIQC: Team 55821S, Spartabots

Oakley Phipps wrote about her experience being on a Girl Powered team and how all students should reach for their dreams and challenge themselves through participation in STEM programs. Read her essay here.

V5RC: Team 6546A

Team 6546A wrote about what Girl Powered means to them and the impact on Girl Powered on their team, such as motivating team members to achieve what they want without fear of unjust criticism and knowing they are irreplaceable members. Read their essay here.

3rd Place Winners

VIQC: Team 5081F

Annabelle Acevedo wrote about her robotics journey and the Girl Powered opportunities that her team takes to make an impact on their community. Read her essay here.

V5RC: Team 4253A

Alicia Wang, Charlene Chen, Chia-Shuan Yeh, Kerrianne Chiu, and Madeline Lee wrote about how their all-girl team succeeded in robotics and what Girl Powered means to them. Read their essay here.


Learn more about Girl Powered! We’re committed to showing how exciting it is to be involved with STEM, showcasing examples of how women are changing the world, providing tools for success, and enabling comfortable environments where all students’ confidence and abilities can flourish. The Robotics Education & Competition (REC) Foundation and VEX Robotics are working to make robotics reflective of the diverse world we live in, and the one we want to leave behind.

Click here to view Online Challenges currently open for submissions.

2025-2026 Signature Event Updates

  1. An Event Partner wanting to apply to host a Signature Event must have hosted events for at least 2 seasons prior to applying. 
  2. Signature Events must use the officially branded award banners for the Excellence Award and Tournament/Teamwork Champions Award.
  3. When hanging field skirts the VEX Robotics logo/brand name can not be covered up on the competition fields.
  4. VEX V5 Robotics Competition Signature Events may have regional capacity and max per organization restrictions lifted 8 weeks before the event if the event is not full (similar to the process already in place for VEX IQ Robotics Competition Signature Events).
  5. Minimum pit size reduced to 8’x 8’ instead of 10’x10’.
  6. Beginning in the 2025-2026 season, the REC Foundation will collect $10 instead of $5 per team registration on all Signature Events. This is to help offset travel costs for REC Foundation staff to support these larger events.

2025-2026 Signature Event Application Reminders

  1. Existing Signature Events only need to complete the Final Application (due by March 31, 2025)
  2. New Signature Event concepts will need to complete the Initial Proposal by January 31, 2025 and if approved, complete the Final Application by March 31, 2025.
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