Award Descriptions

This article describes what each Judged and Nominated Award recognizes and the criteria judges use to select it. It is written for judges and Judge Advisors.

Definitions of the terms used here are maintained in the central glossary.

For the award categories and all awards an event may offer, including Performance and Recognition Awards, see Awards Offered at Competition Events. For how notebook and interview findings come together in award selection, see Participating in Judging Deliberations.

Across the Judged Awards, judges look for effective communication, teamwork, professionalism, and a strong student-centered ethos. For awards centered on the robot and its documentation, they also look for consistency between the team's Engineering Notebook, Team Interview, and robot. The criteria listed under each award focus on what sets that award apart.

Judged Awards

Judged Awards are determined by judges through Team Interviews, Engineering Notebook evaluations, and event observations.

At a Glance

View full criteria for each award below this table.

Excellence Award

The Excellence Award is the highest honor presented at an event. This award recognizes a team that demonstrates overall excellence in both judged and performance categories.

Teams considered for the Excellence Award should demonstrate strong competitive performance, a high-quality engineering design process, and authentic student ownership throughout the season. Recipients demonstrate achievement both on and off the competition field.

• Meets all criteria of the Design Award, including a fully developed Engineering Notebook and a strong Team Interview.
• Is a strong candidate for other Judged Awards.
• Exhibits positive conduct and sportsmanship.
• Finishes in the top 40% of teams in:
  • Qualification Rankings
  • Robot Skills Rankings
  • Autonomous Coding Skills Rankings (with a score above zero)

Design Award

The Design Award recognizes a team that demonstrates an organized, student-driven Engineering Design Process through its Engineering Notebook and Team Interview. It shows evidence of identifying problems, evaluating solutions, testing ideas, and documenting improvements throughout the season.

• Has a fully developed Engineering Notebook that ranks among the strongest at the event.
• Demonstrates an iterative, student-driven Engineering Design Process.
• Demonstrates effective management of time, people, and resources.
• Clearly explains robot design, strategy, and decision-making.

Innovate Award

The Innovate Award recognizes a team that demonstrates a novel and well-documented aspect of its robot design or gameplay strategy. It celebrates creativity, originality, and the team's ability to develop and explain an innovative solution through the Engineering Design Process.

• Demonstrates a unique or uncommon design element, strategy, or feature that is in use at the event.
• Clearly documents the development of that innovation from initial concept through implementation.
• Demonstrates independent inquiry and student ownership throughout the Engineering Design Process.
• Meets all criteria of the Design Award.

Think Award

The Think Award recognizes excellence in coding, programming, and software development. Teams considered for this award should demonstrate effective use of programming, sensors, automation, troubleshooting, and software design to improve robot functionality and performance.

• Participates in Autonomous Coding Skills and achieves a score greater than zero.
• Demonstrates well-organized, understandable, and documented code.
• Clearly explains their programming strategy and how their code solves game challenges.
• Demonstrates an organized approach to programming development and version management.
• Students understand and can explain how they collaborated to develop the code.
• Programming is effective in both Qualification Matches and Autonomous Coding Skills Matches.

Amaze Award

The Amaze Award recognizes a team that has built a highly capable, competitive, and consistently performing robot. It celebrates robots that perform at a high level while demonstrating thoughtful engineering and execution.

• Robot consistently contributes to successful match performance.
• Robot performs well in both Driving Skills and Autonomous Coding Skills.
• Programming effectively supports gameplay in matches and skills challenges.
• Students understand and can explain their robot design and game strategy.

Build Award

The Build Award recognizes excellence in robot construction, craftsmanship, reliability, and attention to detail. It celebrates quality engineering and construction practices.

• Robot construction is durable, robust, and reliable.
• Robot demonstrates attention to detail, quality, and safety.
• Students understand and can explain their robot design and construction process.

Create Award

The Create Award recognizes a creative engineering solution to the challenges presented by the current season's game. It celebrates innovation through engineering creativity.

• Demonstrates a creative and innovative approach to solving game challenges.
• Uses ambitious or unique design solutions to achieve game objectives.
• Students understand and can explain their robot design and game strategy.

Judges Award

The Judges Award lets judges recognize a team that has demonstrated qualities worthy of recognition but that may not fit neatly within another award category. It may recognize perseverance, resilience, professionalism, growth, team spirit, community impact, or other noteworthy achievements observed throughout the event.

• Demonstrates exemplary effort, perseverance, or other noteworthy qualities.
• Leaves a positive and memorable impression on the judges.

Inspire Award

The Inspire Award recognizes a team that embodies the passion, enthusiasm, and spirit of the VEX Robotics Competition program. Teams considered for this award should demonstrate strong teamwork, positive leadership, and positive impact on their school, local community, and the broader robotics community.

• Exhibits enthusiasm and a positive attitude.
• Demonstrates integrity, respect, and goodwill toward others.
• Overcomes challenges or achieves a meaningful accomplishment.

Nominated Awards

Nominated Awards recognize positive conduct and spirit throughout the event. Event volunteers — such as the Head Referee, Scorekeeping Referees, or Emcees — and judges may nominate teams for these awards. Nomination forms are available in this nomination form article.

Sportsmanship Award

The Sportsmanship Award recognizes a team that consistently demonstrates respect, professionalism, fairness, and positive conduct throughout the event. It celebrates teams that exemplify the highest standards of character and integrity.

• Treats everyone with courtesy, respect, and kindness.
• Demonstrates cooperation and friendly competition.
• Acts with honesty, integrity, and professionalism.
• Contributes positively to the event experience for others.

Energy Award

The Energy Award recognizes a team that brings enthusiasm, excitement, positivity, and spirit to the competition. It celebrates teams that contribute positively to the event atmosphere through enthusiasm, encouragement, school spirit, and positive engagement with fellow participants.

• Maintains a high level of energy and positivity.
• Demonstrates a passion for robotics that enhances the event experience for others.