The AFCEA Rocky Mountain Chapter and Pikes Peak Robotics are recognized as the 2025 REC Foundation Partners of the Year for their collaborative efforts to expand STEM education and competitive robotics across southern Colorado.
The AFCEA Rocky Mountain Chapter has distinguished itself through substantial and sustained support for robotics education in the region. In 2025 alone, the chapter awarded 71 grants totaling more than $183,000 to 65 schools, funding 247 team registrations. The organization also sponsors the annual Rocky Mountain Cyberspace Symposium and serves as a leading example among AFCEA’s 138 global chapters for its educational outreach.
Their partnership with Pikes Peak Robotics has enabled exponential program growth throughout southern Colorado. Since 2021, VEX V5 Robotics Competition team participation in the state has grown by 120 percent, with over 250 percent growth in southern Colorado alone—an increase directly tied to Pikes Peak Robotics’ work. Led by Executive Director Nat Sobin and co-founders Erik Huffman, Amanda Huber, Brad Huber, and Curtis Esch, the organization has provided nearly 300 event registrations this season and hosted multiple regional tournaments and leagues, including the AFCEA Pikes Peak V5RC High School Signature Event.
