Riverland Community College will host the Dream It Do It Southern Minnesota VEX Robotics Tournament Dec.14, 2013 at Albert Lea High School. Middle and high school teams have the opportunity to participate during the 2013-2014 season using robots they build, program and design with the VEX Robotics Design System.

Riverland is part of 360° Manufacturing and Applied Engineering ATE Regional Center of Excellence’s effort to support robotics in Minnesota. As part of this, they have 12 kits available, at no charge, for schools and community organizations to use to compete in Minnesota’s Dream It Do It VEX Robotics tournaments. They will also be hosting scrimmages for area VEX Robotics teams to practice before attending a tournament. Scrimmage Dates will be announced soon.

In addition to obtaining a kit, teams participating in a VEX Robotics Tournament will need an official 2013/2014 VRC team Identification Number and Robot ID plates, obtained by officially registering through RobotEvents.com. After registering, teams will receive materials from VEX Robotics to help them prepare for tournaments. The fee to register the first team is $100, and then $50 for each additional team registered from the same school or organization. The entry fee to compete in the Dream It Do It Southern Minnesota VEX Robotics Tournament is $60, and registration is open until Nov. 16. This event is open to the public and is free for family, friends and local community members to attend.

Participants in VEX Robotics develop problem-solving skills and apply science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) individually and as a team as they work together to build a VEX robot. They also learn how robotics and STEM skills apply to manufacturing careers.

The Dream It Do It Southern Minnesota VEX Robotics Tournament is one of three tournaments in Minnesota, and more than 400 tournaments that take place throughout the 2013-2014 season, engaging more than 7,300 teams from 26 countries around the world. Teams can participate in as many events as they desire, and top performing teams will have the opportunity to qualify and participate in international events, including the VEX Robotics World Championship Competition.

To find out more about using a VEX Robotics kit from Riverland Community College or the VEX Robotics program, contact Peggy Young at 507-433-0602 or peggy.young@riverland.edu.

There are also opportunities available to help support the Dream It Do It VEX Robotics tournaments in Minnesota. To learn more, contact Jessica Gehrke at 218-755-2209 or jgehrke@bemidjistate.edu.

Riverland Community College, a member of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system, is a regional comprehensive community college inspiring learning for living through a personalized educational environment. Approximately 4,900 students are served annually through a wide range of credit-based educational opportunities. An additional 5,400 students are annually served in non-credit courses. Facilities are located in Albert Lea, Austin, and Owatonna, Minn. Riverland may be found on the Internet at www.riverland.edu.

The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) system includes 24 two-year community and technical colleges and seven state universities. It is the fifth largest higher education system of its kind in the United States. Each year, more than 420,000 students from all walks of life attend MnSCU colleges and universities for undergraduate and graduate degree, certificate and diploma programs, training and retraining classes and courses to enrich their lives. More than 80 percent of MnSCU graduates stay in Minnesota to work or continue their education. Nearly 86 percent of MnSCU graduates get jobs related to their field of study. In addition, MnSCU collaborates with 6,000 employers throughout the state to provide customized training to 122,000 employees, helping to ensurethat these Minnesota companies remain competitive. MnSCU delivers the most affordable and cost effective higher education option in Minnesota.

About Dream It Do It

Dream It Do It Minnesota is a statewide program aimed at improving the perception of manufacturing in Minnesota and growing a community of future employees. The program provides resources for students, parents, educators and manufacturers to get involved in manufacturing-related events and activities such as facility tours, robotics competitions, classroom presentations and summer camps. Led by the 360° Manufacturing and Applied Engineering ATE Regional Center of Excellence, Dream It Do It Minnesota collaborates with organizations such as [list appropriate sponsors]. Visit www.dreamitdoitmn.com or contact Karen White, Dream It Do It Interim Executive Director, at 218-755-2208 or kwhite@bemidjistate.edu.

About 360°

360° Manufacturing and Applied Engineering ATE Regional Center of Excellence is a consortium of 10 institutions led by Bemidji State University and includes Riverland Community College and eight other technical and community colleges. 360° is designing a 21^st century education system that prepares individuals to have rewarding careers in manufacturing and meets the needs of the region’s manufacturing employers through an enhanced pipeline, industry-driven curriculum, and authentic assessment. 360° is a member of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system and received a National Science Foundation grant in 2012 to become an Advanced Technological Education Regional Center. To learn more about 360°, contact Karen White, Executive Director, at 218-755-2208 or kwhite@bemidjistate.edu.

About the REC Foundation

The Robotics Education & Competition Foundation, a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization, supports robotics and technology events and programs that aim to inspire and motivate students to advance in STEM education. In addition to operating and supporting competitions for some of the world’s leading robotics platforms and organizations including VEX, TSA and BEST Robotics Competitions, the Foundation also provides program support and workshops focused on technology and professional development for educators. This includes the RobotEvents.com community portal website, which helps promote multiple high quality programs and provides online registration and event pages for hundreds of events around the world.