RECF judges score community impact alongside robot performance. Teams that document outreach well earn more award consideration — not because they did more, but because they can explain what they did and why.
Minimum viable: one event per semester where you demonstrate your robot or teach basic robotics to younger students. This is achievable for any team.
Strong outreach record: two or three events, each with a clear purpose, documented with photos, attendee counts, and what students learned or experienced.
Award-level outreach: consistent engagement throughout the season, a defined community it serves, evidence that the impact continues beyond your involvement.
Date: November 14, 2025
Location: Lincoln Elementary STEM Night
Audience: ~60 students, grades 3–5, no prior robotics experience
What we did: demonstrated the robot, ran an intake activity where students placed rings on a tray and watched the robot pick them up, answered questions
What students learned: how sensors work, what autonomous means, that robots can be programmed by students their age
Evidence: photos (see attached), contact: Ms. Rivera, STEM coordinator
Impact: 4 students asked about joining robotics next year; teacher requested a follow-up visit
Explaining something to someone else is the strongest test of whether you actually understand it. Teams that mentor younger students consistently report that it improved their own understanding of the concepts they taught.
"We worked with the VEX IQ team at Jefferson Middle School for three months this season. We helped them understand how to use the engineering design process in their notebook. By the end, they had completed two full design cycles with data — they did not have any when we started."
That answer demonstrates technical knowledge transfer, consistency, and measurable impact. It scores well.