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From Competition Fields to Career Paths: The Power of AI and Robotics

January 2, 2026
When Arya Sasikumar first stepped into the world of robotics as a fifth grader, he had no idea the journey ahead would shape not only his academic path but also his vision for the future. Today, as a...
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Arya Sasikumar speaks at a robotics competition

Inspiration All Star Award Now Being Accepted

December 9, 2025
Nominations are now being accepted for the 2025-2026 Inspiration All-Star Award. Please see the award description and links to the applications below. Feel free to pass this notice on to others in yo...
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A Technical Glitch Sparked a Masterclass in Integrity and Teamwork

December 10, 2025
At a recent Kanawha County VEX IQ Robotics Competition in Charleston, West Virginia, a technical glitch turned into one of those unforgettable moments that remind everyone why robotics is about so mu...
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Participants gather to help a team fix a glitch at a VEX IQ Robotics Competition event

Mazda Foundation (USA), Inc. Expands Robotics Opportunities for Students

November 6, 2025
Since 2022, the Mazda Foundation (USA), Inc. has partnered with the Robotics Education & Competition Foundation (RECF) to bring hands-on, classroom-based learning to life through the Factory Auto...
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Mazda Foundation logo

Impact Newsletter: December 2025

December 12, 2025
In this edition: Happy Holidays from RECF A Masterclass in Integrity and Teamwork Celebrating RECF Volunteers Nominate an Inspiration All-Star The Power of Partnership | Palmetto Part...
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Impact Newsletter Graphic with REC Foundation logo.

Impact Newsletter: November 2025

November 12, 2025
In this edition: Building Career Pathways Through Robotics RECF Pre-Engineering and Robotics Industry Certifications How Robotics and AI Are Powering Student Innovation Ifeoluwa Ogunfolu...
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Impact Newsletter Graphic with REC Foundation logo.

Impact Newsletter: October 2025

October 17, 2025
In this edition: The Space Cookies Soar High and Shatter Stereotypes Join Us for the Second Annual RECF Giving Day Q & A with U.S. Space Force Chief Data & AI Officer Celebrating...
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Impact Newsletter Graphic with REC Foundation logo.

Impact Newsletter: September 2025

September 13, 2025
In this edition: From Family Roots to Career Success: Nathan Matlack’s VEX Robotics Journey Ignite. Innovate. Impact. RECF Online Challenges Open for 2025-2026 Bringing Representation to th...
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Impact Newsletter Graphic with REC Foundation logo.

These Girls Are Bringing Representation To The World of Robotics

September 10, 2025
The all-girls VEX IQ Robotics Competition Team 6855B Warrior VEX at The Westminster Christian School in Palmetto Bay, Florida is bringing new talent and representation to the world of robotics and a ...
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Team 6855B at the VEX Robotics World Championship

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

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

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.

2025-2026 Online Challenges Cycle 1 Winners Announced

December 10, 2025
Thank you to the students from all over the globe who participated in Cycle 1 of this season’s Online Challenges! Congratulations to all of these teams! Click the links below to view the winning e...
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Online Challenges Cycle One Winners announced

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

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

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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2024 Online Challenges Winners Announced

March 15, 2024
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 20...
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Online Challenges Winners Announced graphic

VEX Robotics World Championship Announces Elementary, Middle School, and High School Champions

May 17, 2022
Greenville, TX – May 17, 2022: The Robotics Education & Competition (REC) Foundation’s VEX Robotics World Championship has crowned world champions among its divisions and age groups. More than 20...
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VEX Robotics World Championship logo

Robotics Education & Competition Foundation Announces the 2016 Texas Instruments Scholarship Winners

August 4, 2016
GREENVILLE, TX – August 4, 2016 – The Robotics Education & Competition (REC) Foundation is pleased to announce the winners of the 2016 Texas Instruments Scholarships, which encourage students to s...
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Texas Instruments logo

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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 logo