VEX V5
Our student-led VEX V5 program serves students in grades 7–12. Teams design, build, and program their robots, assign responsibilities, develop match strategy, and manage the work of a full competition season.
A student-led program
Students make the technical decisions and take responsibility for their teams. The work includes mechanical design, fabrication, programming, engineering documentation, driving, strategy, project management, and communication.
Experienced students help newer teammates develop their skills. Adult mentors provide guidance, equipment, and a safe working environment without taking ownership of the robot or the team’s decisions.
Competition and results
Teams compete throughout Northern California and at major events across the country.
21 team appearances at VEX Worlds, 6 State/Region banners, and 195 awards in all, including 1 award won at VEX Worlds itself. Includes the Cavitt Cyber Cowboys program we help operate.
295Z earns Design Award at VEX Worlds
At the VEX Robotics World Championship, 295Z won the Design Award, which recognizes a team’s engineering process: how the robot was designed and iterated, how that work was documented in the engineering notebook, and how well the students explained their design decisions to judges.
How students enter the program
Students enter V5 with different levels of experience. Some advance from VEX IQ or previous competition teams; others begin through a summer bootcamp or their first V5 season. Team placement reflects experience, readiness, available space, and the support each team needs. Experience helps, but readiness, commitment, and willingness to contribute matter just as much. Bootcamps provide a common entry point for students new to V5.
- Middle-school development: Structured support across design, programming, documentation, driving, and competition
- Middle-school high performance: Greater independence, specialized roles, and a full competitive schedule for experienced, self-directed students
- High school: Student-run teams whose members establish the technical direction, organize the work, and manage the season
The competition season
- June–July: teams form, analyze the new game, and begin initial designs
- August–September: robots, code, and engineering notebooks develop through testing
- October–March: teams compete at qualifying events and tournaments
- Spring: qualified teams advance to championships and VEX Worlds