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Building Confidence, Cultural Connections, and Lifelong Skills Through VEX Robotics

June 17, 2025
John V’Soske, a dedicated educator and VEX Robotics coach at Black Rock Middle School in Villanova, PA, is watching robotics reshape the trajectory of his students’ lives, one challenge and competiti...
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Team 19085C in their pit at the VEX Robotics World Championship

From Family Roots to Career Success: Nathan Matlack’s Robotics Journey

June 20, 2025
For Nathan Matlack, robotics has always been more than just a hobby; it’s been a family affair and the foundation of his career. His journey began early, inspired by his mom, Kristi Matlack, who star...
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Nathan Matlack in the classroom

Empowering Student Leaders Through VEX Robotics: Matt Hilton

June 17, 2025
At North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics-Morganton, computer science instructor Matt Hilton is doing far more than teaching code. As the coach of four competitive VEX V5 Robotics teams, Hi...
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Matt Hilton, North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics-Morganton, computer science instructor

Impact Newsletter: May 2025

May 30, 2025
In this edition: From Santa Cruz to the World Stage Building Leaders Through JROTC VEX V5 Robotics Competition From World Champion to Volunteer Gaming Meets STEM Education Media Menti...
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Impact Newsletter Graphic with REC Foundation logo.

High-Flying Impact: Gaming Meets STEM Education through Aerial Drone Competition Partnership 

May 28, 2025
For many students, the Robotics Education & Competition Foundation’s (RECF) Aerial Drone Competition is a natural extension of esports and video gaming by turning a familiar, exciting experience ...
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Participant pilots a drone

JROTC Cadets Excel in Robotics

May 27, 2025
The Robotics Education & Competition Foundation proudly offers the VEX V5 Robotics Competition (V5RC) to the Air Force, Army, Navy, Marine, Space Force, and Coast Guard JROTC programs. Cadets and...
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JROTC Team 11981A accepts an award at the VEX Robotics World Championship

VEX Robotics World Championship Heads to St. Louis in 2026

May 21, 2025
The Robotics Education & Competition Foundation is pleased to announce that the VEX Robotics World Championship will take place in St. Louis, Missouri, in 2026 and 2027. The event will be held in...
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St.Louis skyline onscreen on the stage at the VEX Robotics World Championship, as the new host city for 2026-2027 is announced

From World Champion to Volunteer: An Inspiring Robotics Journey to Help Young Innovators

April 16, 2025
For McKenzie Koch, robotics has never just been about the competitions. It’s about growth, both on and off the competition field, by building skills, communities, and confidence. Now, as a soon-to-be...
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Volunteer McKenzie Koch speaks into a microphone during a robotics event

Last Minute Details for the 2025 VEX Robotics World Championship!

April 25, 2025
The 2025 VEX Robotics World Championship is just around the corner! The Robotics Education & Competition Foundation (RECF) can’t wait to welcome teams from all over the world to this year’s event...
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VEX Robotics World Championship logo

Impact Newsletter: March 2025

March 27, 2025
RECF and Google Inspire the Next Generation of Innovators with Nationwide Robotics Workshops Throughout 2023 and 2024, the Robotics Education & Competition Foundation (RECF), in collabor...
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Impact Newsletter Graphic with REC Foundation logo.

From Santa Cruz to the World Stage: How One Innovative Coach Is Transforming STEM Education in Bolivia

April 2, 2025
At the Santa Cruz Cooperative School (SCCS), Innovation Director Josh Almoite is changing what STEM education looks like. In his second year on campus, Josh is successfully leading an innovation prog...
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Three robotics students work on their robot on a classroom

RECF and Google Inspire the Next Generation of Innovators with Nationwide Robotics Workshops 

March 25, 2025
Throughout 2023-2024, the Robotics Education & Competition Foundation (RECF), in collaboration with Google, held robotics workshops in fourteen locations across the US.  At each stop, hun...
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Students participate in a Google Data Centers Robotics for Kids Program event.

Building a Robotics Legacy at Lynwood High School

March 24, 2025
Lynwood High School’s robotics program is a beacon of opportunity in a community south of Los Angeles, California. Many of the students will be first-generation college students. The schoolR...
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Team prepares their robot for an upcoming event.

PLTW & RECF: Powering the Future of Engineering and Robotics Education

March 18, 2025
Project Lead The Way (PLTW) and the Robotics Education & Competition Foundation (RECF) are joining forces to enhance engineering and robotics education. This partnership leverages the strengths o...
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Project Lead the Way, PLTW, logo

2025 Online Challenges Winners Announced

March 17, 2025
Thank you to the students from all over the globe who participated in this season’s Online Challenges! We are so impressed by all of the entries we received, and we are thrilled to share the 2025 cha...
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Online Challenges Winners Announced graphic

Impact Newsletter: February 2025

February 27, 2025
From Worcester to Worcester: A 7,781 Mile Robotics Journey Imagine building a competition-ready robot in just 24 hours with minimal knowledge of the game and limited experience with a robotics ...
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Impact Newsletter Graphic with REC Foundation logo.

The Aerial Drone Competition: Largest Student Drone Program in the US Soars to New Educational Heights

November 18, 2024
Greenville, TX – November 18, 2024 –  Another exciting and educational drone season has begun for thousands of middle and high schools nationwide. The Aerial Drone Competition’s Mission 2025: Gr...
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Aerial Drone Competition Logo

From Worcester, South Africa to Worcester, Massachusetts

January 31, 2025
VEX Robotics teams spend months meticulously planning game strategies, coding for the best autonomous score, and building and refining their robot. It’s all part of the engineering design process. ...
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Team works on their robot at an event.

Indigenous Robotics take Center Stage at the Southwest Native American Showcase

January 31, 2025
On the remote Fort Apache Reservation, high in the mountains above Phoenix, native students worked on their robots. The Arizona White Mountains peeked over the Chief Alchesay Activity Center, wher...
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Participant plays VEX IQ Robotics Competition Full Volume at Southwest Native American Showcase

Creating Space with Prep for Prep

November 5, 2024
“You belong here.” That was Dale Allsopp’s opening message to the 75 Prep for Prep students gathered at Google’s Chelsea offices for a robotics workshop in New York City this past October. Also ba...
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Participant works on robot at Prep for Prep event

The Robotics Education & Competition Foundation (RECF) Expands its Partnerships with Native Tribes to Bridge Educational Divide Through Robotics Programming

November 12, 2024
Greenville, TX – November 12, 2024 — The Robotics Education & Competition Foundation (RECF) expands its partnership with Native American Tribes across the United States to address the techn...
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Indigenous Robotics Featured Image

Featured Video: Girl Powered Flagship Event 2019

November 27, 2019
Over 50 girls from the Dallas, TX area gathered together at the Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas’s STEM Center of Excellence in October for our third annual Girl Powered Flagship Event, sponsored by Te...
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Aerial Drone Competition Logo

The Robotics Education & Competition Foundation is GuideStar Gold Certified!

October 22, 2024
The Robotics Education & Competition Foundation is proud to share that we’ve earned our 2024 Gold Seal of Transparency from Candid, a leading nonprofit research and data center formed in 2019 whe...
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Featured Video: Building Hope

November 27, 2019
In the REC Foundation community, we are privileged to know and work with so many incredible mentors. In collaboration with VEX Robotics, it is our pleasure to share this short documentary about Coach...
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REC Foundation logo

From Participant to Partner: Oscar McCullough

February 21, 2024
At the Robotics Education and Competition Foundation (RECF) we are so lucky to have thousands of volunteers who tirelessly devote countless hours to making sure that events run smoothly. One of those...
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Oscar DeVon McCullough profile picture

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Participants shake hands after match at VEX Robotics World Championship
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Girl Powered robotics team competes at VEX Robotics World Championship.
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Aerial Drone Competition
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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.
Crowd watches the Signature Event in Minnesota's Mall of America
REC Foundation Logo White
VEX Robotics World Championship landscape logo