Vex Robotics Competition Judging

Agenda Where to Find Information Overview of the Local Judges Guide Changes/Updates (Trophy Pack 1) Excellence and Design Award Awards at World Championship

More Information Local Judges Guide Award Scripts Award Rubrics World Championship Judges Handbook

Local Judges Guide Overview of Contents How to Use Awards Included

Changes/Updates Trophy Pack 1 now includes Award Plates for: – Sportsmanship Award (1) – Tournament Champions Award (3) – Excellence Award (1) – Volunteer of the Year Award (1) – Design Award (1) – Judges Award (1) 7 total trophies

Excellence Award Intended to go to the top overall team in multiple all categories (well-rounded) Incorporates the following: – Qualification match performance – Skills challenge performance – Performance in other award categories – Judge input

Excellence Calculator Team #QR RankingPS RankingRS RankingJudge RankTie Breaker

Calculator Details A QR Ranking Point is earned for finishing in the top 8 of the qualifying matches (one point available) A PS Ranking Point is earned for finishing in the top 10 of the Programming Skills contest (one point available) A RS Ranking Point is earned by finishing in the top 10 of the Robot Skills contest (one point available) Judge Ranking points are awarded for every judged award for which a team is a finalist (up to 4 points available) All ties in the Excellence Award calculator will be broken by awarding the higher ranked team in the Sack Attack competition one additional point

Excellence FAQs Does team performance at prior events count in deliberation for our Excellence Award? Why choose an Excellence Award winner before we know the tournament champion? Do we have to choose the team that scores the most points in the Excellence Award Calculator?

Design Award Given out at all events Engineering Notebooks are recommended BUT NOT mandatory The winning team will be able to describe how they implemented an efficient and productive design process to accomplish the project goals

WC Awards Many types of awards: – Online Challenges (Autodesk Digital Prototyping) – Pre-Submitted Awards (Community) – Balloted Awards (Support) – Scheduled Interview Awards (Excellence & Design) – Pit Interview Awards (Amaze, Build, Create, Think) Deadlines/Methods published in Awards Appendix and Judges Handbooks

Questions/Feedback What additional judging resources would be valuable to your judge advisors/judges? Are teams in your area aware of the different awards and criteria? Open Discussion

League Play - Demystified Mike Martus Regional Support Manager Robotics Education and Competition Foundation

2012 / 2013 League Play Key specifications L eague play allows for areas with a large concentration of local teams to have multiple opportunities for students to compete and improve their robot. Areas that have several events in close proximity often do not have enough World Championship spots for all to have at least 1 spot. Combining into a League gets all events to have ownership of the 3 FREE spots afforded the League. 24 or more teams

2012 / 2013 League Play Key specifications No more than 25% of the teams participating in the league can be from a single team, school or organization. The effort here is to have a diverse league that involves as many teams from as many schools or organizations as possible. Example 1. A local university is facilitating a League for 28 teams. The University sponsors many teams in the area with Financial support and training. Teams are from a variety of schools, have their own numbers, their own coaches and their own building facilities. None of the schools have more than 7 teams in the League. This follows the specification. Example 2. A local university is facilitating a League for 28 teams. The university registers and sponsors 14 teams from their organization. The university cannot have all 14 teams in the League as that would violate the specification. Example 3. A local school has 12 teams, 51a,b,c,d,e,f,g,h,i,j,k,l the League would need to be 48 teams or larger for all of the teams to be part of the League. 25% rule:

2012 / 2013 League Play Key specifications 3 or more Ranking Sessions Large Leagues (+32) with more than 5 ranking sessions may want to establish a limit to how many Ranking sessions a team can attend. Ranking sessions are simple because there are typically no judged awards and no eliminations. While set up is almost the same the output of matches for teams is greater for the allotted time period. The Ranking sessions can be at a single location or at a variety of locations that would have had an event. The several schools or locations can share fields, equipment and volunteers that are in key positions like Scorekeeper, referee and announcer. The amount of matches at a ranking session depends on time allotment. There should be a min of 20 ranking matches and maximum ?? required of each team for the season. The more the better. This is set by the individual League. The minimum number of teams at a Ranking session is 16.

2012 / 2013 League Play Key specifications League Championship Other awards and trophies are encouraged but not required. 3 World Championship spots – 1 spot for the Team with the best record – 2 spots for Winning Alliance To be a valid League Play participant and compete in the Championship, the team must have participated in 50% of the available ranking matches for the season but less than 100%. Alliance selections are the standard format – Picking starts with the #1 ranked team and continues until all alliances are formed. All alliances are two teams. More than the standard 8 alliances are encouraged for the Championship.

2012 / 2013 League Play Suggestions Make it simple - Ideas! Create set-up teams – field – pit – administration - inspections Run a single field with a competition switch, use lap top to schedule and record scores. Inspection (full) first event – give sticker. Second event Quick Inspection size, check improvements/changes, Safety Inspection. Full inspection at League Championship. Charging stations as opposed to power to all tables. Transport Field sides in 12 sections. Transport Goal in 2 sections.

2012 / 2013 League Play Tournament Manager Required of all Leagues Pages 38 & 39 of VEX Tournament Manager Guide Rankings are win Percentage not win points Key points: Read the GuideEnable League Play from the Wizard Store a copy of the League Data File to use at next session League Data files are cumulative – make sure you name them correctly Do not import data until your match schedule for your current event is complete

2012 / 2013 League Play Training calls Aug 7 & 21 Sept 11 & 25 Oct 9 & 23 Nov 13 & 27 Dec 11 Jan 8 All times are 10:00 pm Eastern Standard League Play Forum Register as a user at: Go to Forums upper right You cannot see all offered until I add you to the approved list. Send me a e mail with your username. I will authorize you to see League Play. Go to Competitions VEX Robotics Competitions the 2 nd choice is League Play.

2012 / 2013 League Play Discussions / Questions

RECF Event Partner Summit VEX Robotics College Competition Marc Couture

VEX Robotics College Competition Agenda Benefits of college robotics Outreach Workforce Development Student Achievement Recruitment Participation What does the future look like?

VEX Robotics College Competition Outreach: Be more visible in your communities youth initiatives by enhancing the quantity and quality of STEM exposures for students. Target the underserved and/or underrepresented groups that the college would like to reach. Host tournaments so that area youth can play the game locally and keep the cost of the program low by minimizing travel. (Increase on campus visits to show off your facilities and build awareness.)

VEX Robotics College Competition Workforce Development: Expose students to the increasing number of jobs that will require knowledge and use of technology. Broaden the base of interest in STEM related fields as well as manufacturing technologies. Offer workshops and classes that build on initial interest as a way to maintain contact – Too many exposure opportunities excite a students interest and then leave them with no option to pursue the interest that was kindled. (Students need options they can follow through on.)

VEX Robotics College Competition Student Achievement: Develop and exercise essential 21st Century Skills Let college students apply classroom knowledge through program participation at the college level. Having competitive robotics experience on a resume is a plus for students. Different applications help students to explore career paths. Participants can learn C programming language skills commonly used in industry.

VEX Robotics College Competition Recruitment: Use the VRC program to increase the quantity and frequency of prospective students visiting campuses. Offer workshops, help sessions and events to elevate exposure. Establish college scholarships/grants specific for high school student VRC participants. Attract freshman by showing students that competitive robotics does not have to end when they leave HS. Use On-Line Challenges to broaden the various majors that welcome VRC participants. IT, Animation, CAD, PR & Marketing, Media Production.

VEX Robotics College Competition Participation United States Teams (29 teams) California (4)New Jersey Florida (3)New York (3) IllinoisOhio IndianaPennsylvania (2) Maryland (3)South Carolina MassachusettsTexas (3) MichiganUtah New HampshireVirginia (2)

VEX Robotics College Competition USA New Team Interest Georgia Louisiana Vermont

VEX Robotics College Competition

Participation International teams(184 teams) Brazil2 China36 Colombia55 Mexico83 New Zealand6 Puerto Rico2

VEX Robotics College Competition What does the future look like? Focus on team growth. Likely the last year that teams can register to attend the World Championship. All teams will be encouraged to have played at a previous event to enhance preparation for the World Championship.

VEX Robotics College Competition What does the future look like? Some type of qualification process will be needed for VRCC in Developing a scholarship program. Increase the presence of college & university recruiters at the VRC World Championship.

VEX Robotics College Competition Questions?

National Volunteer Management Database

What is the National Volunteer Database? Place where volunteers from around the country can sign up to volunteer. Sign up page is similar to the World Volunteer registration page.

How does it work? Potential volunteer signs up Contact information is sent to Regional Managers Regional Managers send the volunteers contact information to area EPs like you

Where will this be posted? The link will be located on the VEX Robotics website and Robot Events website.