Welcome to the April 2025 edition of Drive Forward News! Thanks for reading!
Jump to a section to read:
- The 2025 VEX Robotics World Championship and Educators Conference Are Here!
- Watch Every Moment of VEX Robotics World Championship on VEX Robotics TV
- Explore the Workshops at the 2025 VEX Robotics Educators Conference
- Big Ideas, Bold Voices: What You’ll Learn from the 2025 VEX Robotics Educators Conference Presentations
The 2025 VEX Robotics World Championship and Educators Conference Are Here!
The countdown is over! We are about to kick-off the 2025 VEX Robotics World Championship and VEX Robotics Educators Conference! It’s time to come together to celebrate a year of growth, grit, and game-changing innovation.
At VEX Robotics, we’ve watched the momentum build from classrooms to competition fields around the world, and this moment is the culmination of it all. Over the past year, students, educators, mentors, and families have poured their time, energy, and passion into building something extraordinary. And now, the world’s largest celebration of robotics education has arrived.
VEX Robotics World Championship
Get ready for thrilling matches, inspiring stories, and lifelong memories. Whether you’re cheering from the sidelines or competing on the field, this event is a testament to the power of STEM and the dedication of our global community.
📅 View the full competition schedule here:
👉 VEX Robotics World Championship Agenda
VEX Robotics Educators Conference
At the same time, we’re proud to host the VEX Robotics Educators Conference: a professional development experience built for teachers, by teachers. With sessions focused on best practices, hands-on demos, and real-world classroom implementation, it’s an unmissable part of the week.
See the full list of sessions and activities here:
🗓️ VEX Robotics Educators Conference Schedule
A Thank You From All of Us at VEX Robotics
None of this would be possible without the tireless support of coaches, mentors, volunteers, and educators around the world. Thank you for everything you’ve done to help students grow into confident problem-solvers and collaborative innovators.
As we kick off this incredible time of learning, competition, and community, we wish every attendee a joyful, energizing, and unforgettable experience. Let’s celebrate how far we’ve come and look ahead to what’s next.
See you out there!
🔗 Learn more at VEXRobotics.com
Share this on social media:
Watch Every Moment of VEX Robotics World Championship on VEX Robotics TV
Couldn’t catch all the action in person? Want to show your friends and family what robotics is all about? We’ve got you covered.
VEX Robotics TV is your one-stop destination to relive every thrilling match from the 2025 VEX Robotics World Championship. Whether you’re cheering on your own team or checking out how others tackled the challenge, every division and every match is available on demand.
Matches are uploaded regularly throughout the event, making it easy to follow along or catch up on what you missed. Use it as a scouting tool, a classroom teaching moment, or simply to celebrate your team’s hard work on a global stage.
👉 Start watching and keep the championship spirit going.
Share this on social media:
Explore the Workshops at the 2025 VEX Robotics Educators Conference
The 2025 VEX Robotics Educators Conference, happening from May 7–9, 2025, alongside the VEX Robotics World Championship in Dallas, Texas, offers a unique opportunity for educators to engage in hands-on workshops, gain insights from experts, and connect with peers passionate about STEM education.
Even though general registration has closed, educators with a VEX PD+ All-Access membership still have full virtual access to all sessions, workshops, and presentations.
Here’s a glimpse into the diverse workshops available:
- VEX IQ: Implementing Classroom Competitions with STEM Labs
- Robotics for All: Instructional Strategies to Engage Learners with Disabilities Using VEX 123 by Dr. Maya Israel
- VEXcode VR: Classroom VEXcode VR Competitions using Blocks / Switch
- VEX AIM: Getting Started with VEX AIM
- VEX CTE: Robotics for Career and Technical Education
- VEX GO: Coding and Creativity
- VEX EXP: AI and Computational Thinking: Exploring Decision-Making
- VEX 123: Three Ways to Code
- VEX IQ: Introduction to Python Coding
- VEX Continuum: Making STEM Accessible for All Students
- VEX IQ: Competitive Learning with STEM Labs
- VEX V5: AI and Computational Thinking: Exploring Decision-Making
- VEXcode VR: Teaching Python with VEXcode VR
- VEX AIM: Practical Applications of AI in Education
- VEX CTE: Teaching Computer Science with VEX CTE
- VEX GO: AI Literacy for Young Learners featuring VEX GO
- VEX 123: AI Literacy for Young Learners featuring VEX 123
- VEX CTE: Building a Future-Ready Workforce
- VEX IQ: Innovative Classroom Competitions
- VEX V5: Introduction to Python Coding
These workshops are designed to provide educators with practical skills and strategies to enhance their STEM, CS, and CTE programs.
Explore the full conference experience: pd.vex.com/vex-educator-conference
Learn more about PD+ All-Access: vexrobotics.com/vexpd.html
Join us to empower your teaching and inspire your students!
Share this on social media:
Big Ideas, Bold Voices: What You’ll Learn from the 2025 VEX Robotics Educators Conference Presentations
When educators gather at the 2025 VEX Robotics Educators Conference, it’s not just about tools—it’s about transformation. Held May 7–9 in Dallas, Texas, alongside the VEX Robotics World Championship, this year’s presentations and keynotes explore what’s possible when technology, inclusion, and imagination come together in the classroom.
And while general registration is now closed, VEX PD+ All-Access members still receive full access to all recorded sessions. That means every keynote. Every deep dive. Every moment of inspiration.
So, what can you expect from this year’s speaker lineup? Vision, insight, and a few big questions we should all be asking.
What happens when play meets machine intelligence?
What Does ‘Play’ Look Like When Your Toys Are Smarter Than You
Dr. David Touretzky
A provocative and playful exploration of AI’s role in student learning and how we can rethink play itself when the tools we use start thinking back.
What does it look like when science and engineering truly work in tandem?
Science & Engineering in Synergy: Deepening STEM Learning Through Robotics
Jason McKenna
A grounded look at how robotics can serve as a bridge between disciplines, reinforcing conceptual learning through real-world application.
What’s possible when accessibility isn’t an afterthought, but the starting point?
The Wild Side of Accessibility: What Is Possible?
Dr. Andreas Stefik
Known for challenging the status quo, Dr. Stefik brings a fresh perspective to designing truly inclusive STEM environments and explores what happens when we go all-in.
What if robotics was the most powerful tool for inclusion?
Unified Robotics: Facilitating Inclusion Through Innovation
Dr. Eddie Willson and Andrew Fee
A powerful look at how robotics can dissolve classroom barriers and empower students of all abilities to contribute meaningfully and competitively.
How do we prepare students for the future of work before they hit middle school?
Virginia Tech: The Center of Next – K–8 Education, VEX Robotics, and the Future of Work
Dr. Pamela O. Gilchrist
A forward-thinking talk exploring how VEX Robotics is embedded in Virginia Tech’s vision for next-gen workforce development starting in elementary school.
What are the benefits of competition beyond the trophy?
Benefits of VEX Robotics Competitions for Students
Dan Mantz
From confidence to college readiness, this session outlines the real-world, research-backed impacts of student participation in VEX Robotics Competitions.
How do you build a STEM pipeline that starts early and leads to AI fluency?
Building a STEM Pipeline: From VEX 123 to AI Specialization – A District’s Journey
Dr. Rabieh J. Hafza and Diane Robinson
A case study in vision, scaffolding, and how a district turned early robotics into long-term academic momentum.
How do we bring VEX Robotics to students both in and outside of the school day?
VEX Robotics – Maximizing Impact Within and Beyond the School Day
Project Lead The Way (PLTW)
This session explores integration strategies that extend the reach of robotics into after-school, summer, and informal learning environments.
Where are we heading and who’s coming with us?
Shaping the Future of K–12 Education: The Power of Integrated STEM and Robotics
Dr. Feng-Kuang Chiang
A forward-thinking session that connects STEM education with long-term societal shifts through the lens of classroom integration.
Each of these presentations pushes the boundaries of what’s possible in education and offers practical inspiration to help you do the same.
- See what else is happening at the VEX Robotics Educators Conference: pd.vex.com/vex-educator-conference
- Join with VEX PD+ All-Access and watch every session after the conference’s conclusion: vexrobotics.com/vexpd
Because the future isn’t just being imagined in Dallas. It’s being built, one classroom at a time.
Share this on social media:
Here’s to the moments that move us forward.
Whether you’re tuning in virtually, walking the halls of the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, or cheering from the stands, thank you for being part of something bigger. The 2025 VEX Robotics World Championship and Educators Conference aren’t just events; they’re a reflection of everything we build together, day after day, student by student.
This is a celebration of innovation, education, and the extraordinary community behind it all. However you join us, we hope you leave feeling inspired, empowered, and proud to be part of the VEX Robotics family.
We’ll see you on the field and in the future. Together, let’s keep driving forward.
—Your Drive Forward News Team
Here’s what we covered in the last edition of Drive Forward News: