REC Foundation Receives $760,000 Grant from Texas Workforce Commission to Expand VEX Robotics Competition
The Robotics Education & Competition (REC) Foundation works in tandem with various educational, government and nonprofit organizations in promoting hands-on, curriculum-based robotics engineering programs across the U.S. and internationally.
Now the organization has teamed up with the Texas Workforce Commission to conduct an interschool VEX Robotics Competition. In addition to 100 existing teams, the competition welcomes 400 new teams this year. A total of 5,000 students from both public school and home-school settings are going to participate in the competition this year.
Events like VEX Robotics competition can go a long way toward inspiring the future nation-builders to become innovators in science and technology. The VEX and other REC organized robotic competitions are aimed at igniting students’ interest and involvement in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
“This competition encourages students to pursue science, technology, engineering and math endeavors that help them acquire skills for high-demand occupations,” Texas Workforce commission Chairman Andres Alcantar commented in a statement.
The REC Foundation is going to utilize a lion’s share of the $760,000 grant to expand the competition opportunities in San Antonio, Killeen (Fort Hood), Katy, Houston, Austin and rural and underserved communities in other areas of the state.
By also utilizing a part of the Texas Workforce Commission grant, REC is bringing the competition online. As part of this initiative, REC is launching a new VRC Texas Online Challenge, a VEX Robotics Competition Mobile Event Trailer. By considerably adding to the numbers of REC Foundation volunteers in Texas, the events are going to make sustainable and affordable STEM programs accessible to a larger number of students in the state of Texas.
“The REC Foundation is grateful to the Texas Workforce Commission for providing students in Texas access to an affordable, sustainable, and curriculum-based robotics engineering program in the VEX Robotics Competition,” said REC Foundation president Jason Morrella in a statement.
“We share the Texas Workforce Commission’s interest in providing more students access to high quality science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) programs that will impact their future college and career aspirations, encouraging them to pursue these fields.”
Teams from China, Mexico, New Zealand, Singapore and the United States reigned supreme at this year’s REC Foundation VEX Robotics Competition World Championship, taking home the coveted Winning Alliance trophies for the Middle School World Championship, the High School World Championship, and the College World Championship competitions.
