In 2021, the middle school Vex Robotics team Vex Revolution hosted a camp where young kids could build robots. Created by Brad Chen, Max Kerzner, and Aiden Thornsbury, a deep passion was instilled inside 20 young engineers that will stick with them their whole lives. Those initial moments blossomed into the Virginia Robotics and Education Foundation, an organization dedicated to instilling a passion for STEM into every student that we teach.
Many camps and dozens of students later, VREF has grown to be a juggernaut in robotics education. Our team has expanded to more than 25 volunteers, and we have taught over 200 students. Additionally, many of the kids we teach went on to start their own robotics teams, and have made it to the Vex Robotics world championships in Dallas. However, VREF will not rest until every kid in the Virginia area has had a chance to experience the joys of robotics.
Welcome to the Virginia Robotics Education Foundation (VREF), where we're dedicated to inspiring the next generation of innovators through robotics education.
Through competitions and workshops, we foster creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration, preparing Virginia students for success in STEM fields.
Join us on this journey to cultivate tomorrow's innovators and build a brighter future through robotics education.
VREF currently supports the high school VRC team, 2509A (Blue Wave Elite). In their first year, Blue Wave Elite ranked at the top of all Virginia teams, finishing amongst the best teams in the state. To provide robotics education to more students, VREF plans to create and support additional teams in the coming years.
VEX Robotics is educational robotics for everyone. VEX solutions span all levels of both formal and informal education with accessible, scalable, and affordable solutions. Beyond science and engineering principles, VEX encourages creativity, teamwork, leadership, and problem solving among groups. It allows educators of all types to engage and inspire the STEM problem solvers of tomorrow!