TechPoint Foundation For Youth (TPF4Y) is thrilled to announce the proclamation of Indiana VEX Robotics State Championship Day with Mayor Joe Hogsett and the City of Indianapolis. Observance of this day is in celebration of the inaugural state championship event that will be held at Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday, March 10, 2018, and will be the largest robotics state championship in the country, gathering the top 300 Indiana teams from elementary, middle, and high schools across the state.
“We are excited about the unprecedented growth of robotics in Indiana,” said State Robotics Director, George Giltner. “It's unbelievable to think that in just two short years we have gone from 413 VEX teams in the state, to more than 1,300 - a 225% increase - and now we have robots taking over Lucas Oil Stadium. As you can imagine, this is exciting progress for TechPoint Foundation for Youth because we know these increased numbers mean more kids doing more hands-on, inspirational STEM at school.”
This growth in the number of Indiana VEX Robotics teams is attributed to the State Robotics Initiative, a comprehensive grant program developed by TPF4Y with initial funding from partners such as Indiana Department of Workforce Development, Guggenheim Life and Annuity, Herbert Simon Family Foundation, and long time partners Roche Diagnostics and Eli Lilly and Company Foundation. Since 2016, TPF4Y has provided grants, professional development, and now, the largest state robotics competition in the country for Indiana schools and students.
Mayor Joe Hogsett also emphasized the importance of the event: “With a scale that is unmatched across the country, the Indiana VEX Robotics State Championship provides educational opportunities to hundreds of students from across the state. It is an honor to host this event at Lucas Oil Stadium right here in Indianapolis – a city whose nationally-recognized culture of innovation is propelling our growth and success,” said the Mayor.
In addition to celebrating the City of Indianapolis’ observation of Indiana VEX Robotics State Championship Day on March 10th, TPF4Y is also announcing the expansion of the State Robotics Initiative during the 2018-19 school year to serve not only elementary schools across the state, but also eligible middle schools through 2020. TPF4Y will continue to rely on the generosity of its public, corporate, and philanthropic partners to bring this impactful STEM program to Indiana students.
"We are thrilled to see the growth of VEX Competitions in Indiana,” said Dan Mantz, CEO of the Robotics Education & Competition Foundation, which oversees all VEX Competition teams and events. "We value the visionary leaders across the state who partner to increase students’ STEM engagement through VEX Competitions and look forward to seeing the impact of the middle school expansion.”
The Indiana VEX Robotics State Championship is free and open to the public and will include an interactive STEM Fair featuring hands-on activities hosted by local and national companies, institutes of higher education, and community partners who are inspiring the next generation of Indiana STEM talent. To learn more, visit the event webpage.
About the State Robotics Initiative, a program of TechPoint Foundation for Youth
The State Robotics Initiative was developed by TPF4Y to provide a hands-on, STEM learning experience to Indiana students through an economical, entry level robotics platform proven to engage diverse student populations in comprehensive STEM subject matter and spur student interest in STEM college and career pathways. The program was developed in 2016 as a statewide expansion of the City Of Indianapolis VEX Robotics grant program, a legacy of former Mayor Greg Ballard. For more information, please visit www.TechPointYouth.org/robots.
About TechPoint Foundation For Youth
As the leader in technology education efforts for the state of Indiana since 2001, TechPoint Foundation for Youth is committed to inspiring our state's underserved K-12 students to explore science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). And to us, that means connecting ideas, investments, industry, and individuals to exemplary programs that inspire students to pursue careers in STEM fields. For more information, please visit
www.TechPointYouth.org.