The VEX IQ Robotics program is designed as a multi-year engineering and technology pathway for students in grades 3-8. Each year follows a structured cycle that balances technical skill development with competitive robotics experience. From March through August, students participate in a Skills Concentration Phase focused on advanced programming and engineering design. Students begin with computational thinking and pseudocode before progressing through block-based programming into Python and advanced C++ robotics development. On the design side, students transform concepts into sketches, prototypes, and digital models while developing CAD experience through LDCad and Onshape for early exposure to professional engineering workflows. From August through February, students apply these skills directly in the VEX IQ Robotics Competition season, where they collaboratively design, build, program, test, and refine competitive robots while developing teamwork, communication, and high-level problem-solving abilities in a fast-paced engineering environment. (No prior experience required, and students are welcome to join anytime)

During the VEX IQ Competition Season, students transition from guided learning into a fully competitive robotics environment. Teams apply the programming, design, and engineering skills developed earlier in the year to build and refine robots capable of completing official VEX IQ game challenges. Students participate in strategy development, driver practice, iterative testing, teamwork exercises, and formal competition preparation while competing in regional and state tournaments with opportunities to qualify for the VEX Robotics World Championship. The competition season emphasizes collaboration, resilience, communication, and real-world engineering problem solving in a highly engaging team environment. 

During the Skills Concentration Phase, students develop advanced technical foundations in both programming and engineering design. Programming instruction progresses from computational thinking and pseudocode into block-based logic, Python development, and advanced C++ robotics programming used in competitive robotics systems. In parallel, students explore the engineering design process by transforming ideas into sketches, prototypes, and detailed CAD models using LDCad and Onshape. This phase is designed to build strong analytical thinking, software development skills, and real-world engineering experience while preparing students for increasingly advanced robotics challenges and competitions.