KEY OBJECTIVES: USING ROBOTICS COMPETITION AS A PLATFORM FOR INTRODUCTORY AND ADVANCED STEM LEARNING THE ROBOTICS EDUCATION AND COMPETITION FOUNDATION SEEKS TO HELP CLOSE THE WIDENING GAP IN STEM PERFORMANCE BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND THE REST OF THE WORLD. WITH NASA SUPPORT THE REC FOUNDATION WILL EXPAND AND ENHANCE THE VEX ROBOTICS COMPETITION NATIONALLY TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO MORE SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY. STATEMENT OF THE METHODS/TECHNIQUES TO ACCOMPLISH THE STATED OBJECTIVES: OVER THE PAST EIGHT YEARS THE VEX ROBOTICS COMPETITION HAS GROWN TO BECOME THE LARGEST MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STEM ROBOTICS PROGRAM IN THE WORLD THROUGH A STRONG FOCUS ON AFFORDABILITY ACCESSIBILITY AND EDUCATION. BY CONTINUING TO LOWER THE BARRIERS TO STARTING TEAMS AND HOSTING EVENTS WE CAN MAKE SIGNIFICANT STRIDES TOWARD OUR GOAL OF BRINGING HIGH-IMPACT ROBOTICS EDUCATION TO MANY MORE SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES. NASA S PAST SUPPORT HAS ASSISTED THE REC FOUNDATION S COMMUNITY PARTNERS IN HOSTING LOCAL COMPETITIONS AND OUTREACH EVENTS AND HAS SUPPORTED THE DEVELOPMENT OF HUNDREDS OF NEW TEAMS IN TARGETED AREAS. BY CONTINUING ITS COLLABORATING WITH THE REC FOUNDATION TO EXPAND AND ENHANCE THE VEX ROBOTICS COMPETITION NATIONALLY NASA WILL REMAIN AT THE FOREFRONT OF AMERICAN INNOVATION AND HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON THE EDUCATIONAL ASPIRATIONS OF OUR YOUTH. STATEMENT OF PERCEIVED SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PROPOSED WORK TO THE OBJECTIVES OF THE SOLICITATION AND TO NASA INTERESTS AND PROGRAMS IN GENERAL: THERE IS A DEMONSTRATED NEED FOR MORE STUDENTS IN ALL STEM SUBJECT FIELDS ACROSS THE NATION. THE REC FOUNDATION S PARTNERSHIP WITH NASA OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS HAS HELPED EDUCATORS IN MANY COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY INCREASE AWARENESS IN STUDENTS OF STEM FIELDS. OUR STUDENT AND MENTOR SURVEYS HAVE SHOWN THAT EXPOSURE TO STEM SUBJECT AREAS BEFORE COLLEGE CAN SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS ENTERING THOSE FIELDS. NOW WITH AN EDUCATIONAL PIPELINE STRETCHING FROM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THROUGH COLLEGE THE VEX ROBOTICS COMPETITION IS POISED TO HAVE AN EVEN GREATER IMPACT ON THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS PURSUING AND ATTAINING HIGHER EDUCATION IN KEY STEM FIELDS. WE INTEND TO PRESENT A REQUEST FOR FUNDING THROUGH ROC-II WHICH WILL ENABLE THE CONTINUED GROWTH OF THE VEX ROBOTICS COMPETITION.