Robotics Education & Competition Foundation
Robotics Education & Competition Foundation
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Online Challenges

Encore Online Challenge: VIQC Middle School VEX World Robotics Championship

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The REC Foundation wants to continue celebrating the achievements of the teams that qualified for the 2020 VEX Worlds Fantasy Robotics Tournament. We recognize many students were disappointed the 2020 VEX Robotics World Championship in Louisville, KY was cancelled, so we are excited to share an opportunity that may provide an additional pathway to qualify for the 2021 Remote VEX Robotics World Championship. We would love to invite back all the teams that qualified in 2020, but unfortunately that is not possible. Instead, the REC Foundation is selecting 50 VIQC Middle School teams for an opportunity to attend the 2021 VEX Robotics World Championship through the Encore Online Challenge. 

Eligible teams for the Encore Online Challenge must continue working hard this season! Eligible teams need to submit a PDF document with their team information and a (3) three-minute video sharing how they persevered after the 2020 season including their accomplishments this season. Teams should carefully review the eligibility, judging and requirements section below.

Winners for the Encore Online Challenge will be announced by Friday April 23rd.

 

Grade Level Requirements
Elementary School Middle School High School College / University No Grade Level Restrictions
Program Requirements
VEX IQ Robotics Competition

Prizes

  • The top fifty (50) VIQC Middle School Teams will receive an automatic qualification for the 2021 Remote VEX Robotics World Championship.

Eligibility

  • Entrant grade range: Middle School
  • Must have at least one student on the current team that qualified to the 2020 VEX Worlds Fantasy Robotics Tournament regardless if their current team qualified last year.*  
  • VEX IQ Challenge team requirement: All students must be part of the same registered VIQC Middle School team for the current season (2020-2021).
  • Only one entry per team is permitted. Each team in a multi-team school or club program may submit one entry. For example, teams 123A and 123B may each submit an entry, but team 123A may not submit two entries.
  • Teams that qualify for the 2021 VEX Robotics World Championship are no longer eligible to win the Encore Online Challenge.

*Note: Eligibility is determined by the students on the team rather than the team number that qualified in 2020. For example, Sarah, Joe and Jill were on a VIQC MS team (Team 1234A) that qualified for the 2020 VEX Worlds Fantasy Robotics Tournament. 

Scenario 1: Sarah and Jill returned and are on the same VIQC MS team (Team 1234A). Team 1234A has two students that were on a team that qualified to the 2020 VEX Worlds Fantasy Robotics Tournament last year, so Team 1234A is eligible for the Encore Online Challenge.  

Scenario 2: Joe is now a High School student and joined a new VRC team (Team 4567A) at a new school. Team 4567A did not qualify for the 2020 VEX Worlds Fantasy Robotics Tournament but, since Joe was on a qualifying team last season, Team 4567A is eligible for the VRC High School Encore Online Challenge. Or if Joe is on a Middle School VRC team, that team is also eligible for the VRC Middle School Encore Online Challenge.

Scenario 3: If Sarah, Jill and Joe all did not return to Team 1234A this season, and no other students on that team qualified to the 2020 VEX Worlds Fantasy Robotics Tournament, Team 1234A is not eligible for the Encore Online Challenge.

The goal is to honor those students that invested so much effort and time to qualify for the 2020 VEX Worlds Fantasy Robotics Tournament. The REC Foundation requests that teams honor the spirit of this opportunity. Ideally the same teams with the same students are competing this season, but we understand that this is often not the case. Preference for the Prize is given to teams with more returning team members that continue to work together this season.

Requirements

These are the minimum requirements for this challenge. The “Judging Information" section below will provide additional guidance on how your project will be judged. Failure to fulfill any of these requirements may result in your entry being disqualified from advancing to Finalist or Winner status.

  • Create and post a video featuring your team up to (3) three minutes long sharing your team experiences and why your team should qualify this season. 
    • Review the Judging section for more information on what should be included in the video. Video entries longer than (3) minutes will be disqualified.
    • The video must clearly include the registered 2020-21 VIQC Middle School team number and the names of the students on the team. Listing first names only for students is acceptable.
    • Youth team members need to create and produce the video. It is acceptable for adults to help with the technical aspects of creating and submitting the video, and adults are encouraged to assist in completing any task that would be difficult or inappropriate for youth in this age group.
    • Post the video link directly to this online challenge site during the submission process. Links to Google Drive or Dropbox are not permitted and will result in disqualification.
    • Your video must be posted to YouTube, SchoolTube, Youku, or an equivalent platform.
    • Please note: you must use music in the public domain or else the platform may delete your video.
  • Create and post a PDF document. The document must contain the team information listed in the Judging section.
    • Your final submission must be in PDF format (maximum file size: 20MB). You may create your submission using the platform of your choice; however, entries not in PDF format will be disqualified.
    • Your submission must include the team and organizational information listed in the Judging section.
    • If you create your entry using an online platform (examples include Canva, Wattpad, PowToon, Shutterfly, Photobox, etc.), you must export it to PDF to meet this requirement.
    • If you create your entry using programs like Microsoft Word or PowerPoint, there is an easy way to save in the correct format: just click “File” and then “Save As Adobe PDF.”  Depending on the version you are using, this may also simply appear as an option you can select from the dropdown in the “Save As” function.
    • You must upload your PDF entry directly to the Online Challenges site.
    • You must upload your entry to the Online Challenges site during the submission process. Links to Google Drive, Dropbox, Sharepoint or any other site are not permitted and will result in disqualification.
    • Youth team members need to create the PDF document. It is acceptable for adults to help with the technical aspects of creating and submitting the document, and adults are encouraged to assist in completing any task that would be difficult or inappropriate for youth in this age group.

READ CAREFULLY: PDF UPLOAD INSTRUCTIONS

  • Instructions to upload your PDF:
    • Click the green Enter Challenge button on the right side of the screen.
    • Fill out the submission form and type your text in the Full Description box according to the Requirements for this challenge.
    • Click Save.
    • Click the blue Files/Images button in the upper right of the screen.
    • Drag/Drop your PDF file into the Upload a File box.
    • Be sure to edit the Display Name and file information according to the Requirements for this challenge.
    • Save your edits and click Update on the entry screen.

READ CAREFULLY: VIDEO UPLOAD INSTRUCTIONS

  • Instructions to upload your video link correctly:
    • Click the green Enter Challenge button on the right side of the screen.
    • Fill out the submission form and type your text in the Full Description box according to the Requirements for this challenge.
    • Click Save.
    • Click the blue Links/Videos button in the upper right of the screen.
    • Type in the URL, Title and Description. Include all required information, or your link may not display correctly.
    • Click Add Link.
    • Your submission is now listed when you click the blue All Entries button to view the challenge entries.

Judging Information

This Online Challenge has two required parts:

  1. Submit a PDF document with the following information:
    1. Names of students, team number(s), program(s) (VIQC or VRC) and grade level(s) of students that qualified to the 2020 VEX Worlds Fantasy Robotics Tournament in the 2019-20 season. Listing first names only for students is acceptable.
    2. Names of all the students on the 2020-21 team. Clearly indicate which of these students were on a team that qualified to the 2020 VEX Worlds Fantasy Robotics Tournament. Listing first names only for students is acceptable.
    3. Team number for the current 2020-21 season. The registered team for the current season must be a VIQC Middle School team.
    4. Primary team contact for the current 2020-21 season (Name, email and phone). This should be the Primary Contact listed in RobotEvents.com for the team.
    5. Current organization/school information: name and address
  2. Create a (3) three-minute video sharing your team’s story. The video will be judged on the following:
    1. Introduce your team members! Who are the team members that were on a team that qualified to the 2020 VEX Worlds Fantasy Robotics Tournament?  Which team members are new to this season?
    2. How did you qualify for the 2020 VEX Worlds Fantasy Robotics Tournament?
    3. How did your team use their experiences to persevere this season?
    4. What are some lessons learned last season that your team has applied this season?
    5. Display highlights of your robot’s ability to achieve this year’s game challenge.
    6. What are some accomplishments your team has achieved this season (i.e. Judged, Performance awards, virtual accomplishments, or other Online Challenges)?
    7. Share your highest Robot Skills score from a qualifying event in the 2020-21 season. Include your total Robot Skills score and how this score was achieved (Driving Skills score and/or Programming Skills score). Note: If there are no qualifying events in your region due to COVID restrictions, teams can include a recorded Robot Skills run as part of their video submission to demonstrate their ability, but the video will still need to meet the (3) minute limit.
    8. Why do you think your team should be selected to qualify for the 2020-21 VEX Robotics World Championship in Dallas, TX?

Deadline Information

Current time:
Sun, Oct 6, 2024 1:47 PM CDT

Opens:

Mon, Oct 12, 2020 9:00 AM CDT

Closes:

Thu, Mar 18, 2021 12:00 PM CDT

Entries

All Entries
View Finalists
View Winners