World Championships Hall of Fame Judges Award VEX IQ World Championship 2023–24 22020B Chilling in Space KidweLab Sportsmanship Award VEX V5RC World Championship 2023–24 Glenfield College 2918D Glenfield College Excellence Award VEX U World Championship 2022–23 JANK Division Finalists VEX IQ World Championship 2022–23 Skywalker Destroyers Team 3168G Skywalker Robotics Division Champions VEX IQ World Championship 2022–23 Rovers Team 48495A Energy Award VEX U World Championship 2023–24 MANTZ Massey University Inspire Award VEX V5RC World Championship 2023–24 Skywalker Technobots 3168T Skywalker Robotics Design Award VEX U World Championship 2022–23 WINGU5 Sportsmanship Award VEX IQ World Championship 2022–23 Team 2223H Brobots College Street Normal School Division Finalists VEX IQ World Championships 2022–23 Rovers Team 48495A Create Award VEX U World Championship 2023–24 JANK Tāmaki Makaurau Build Award VEX IQ World Championship 2023–24 2223H Brobots College Street Normal School Mathworks Challenge Winners VEX IQ World Online Challenge 2022–23 Team 3204 Callixtus St Peter's College Sportsmanship Award VEX V5RC World Championship 2022–23 Otumoetai College Team 2941B Otumoetai College

Community As a charitable trust, all of our work relies on the support of sponsors, regional partners, and volunteers nationwide that provide time, energy, funds and skills to bring Kiwibots events to young New Zealanders. Funding Partners We are so grateful to our funding partners whose support make our projects are reality for so many young New Zealanders. These companies share our mission of providing opportunities to grow tech literacy and broaden the skillsets of the next generations – future-proofing Kiwi kids and New Zealand as a whole. If you're interested in becoming a sponsor, donating or seeing how else you can help, please send an email to our National Manager, Michelle Mollard, at michellem@kiwibots.co.nz to see how you can get involved. Every little bit counts and makes a world of difference to our work. Funds contribute to our major events, support for local events, products and materials for teams from the far north to the deep south, ensuring that science and tech can remain accessible for everybody. Partner Organisations Central Region Robotics Trust works with Kiwibots to produce the VEX IQ Challenge National Championships, as well as grow all robotics STEAM education and engagement across the Central North Island. STEAM-ED's mission is to equip students with the skill and mindset needed to thrive in tomorrow's rapidly evolving world, through the delivery of high-quality STEAM programmes. Approximately 70% of STEAM-ED's programmes in the Western Bay of Plenty use Kiwibots provided VEX robotics equipment. Kidwe lab works in STEAM education, that offers creative lessons for kids from 6-16. We take a student-centered approach to teaching and learning and our focus is on discovery learning. We guide the learners through the concept rather than tell them how to do it. This means that they learn how to look for solutions to problems on their own and learn from their own experiences. RoboPā is a makerspace that provides opportunity for Māori youth to access technology and STEAM equipment, particularly in rural regions of New Zealand. We work with the following organisations to further our outreach of STEAM engagement. We work with a number of groups who all share the same mission (and have plenty of fun while at it!)

Kiwibots Child Protection Policy Here at Kiwibots, we pride ourselves on being able to put on world-class robotics events and programmes for young Kiwi kids. As a Charitable Trust, our success is largely due to the incredible support of volunteers who come on board to make every scrimmage, tournament, holiday programme, event and workshop as amazing as it is. We want to enable volunteers from all over NZ to be able to help out while ensuring that we provide a safe environment that prioritises the wellbeing of children, young people, vulnerable adults and their families. Purpose Our Child Protection Policy is a framework that covers the expectations and procedures to respond to potential child protection concerns. This Policy applies to all staff including volunteers, and part-time or temporary roles. It is intended to protect all children that staff may encounter, including siblings, the children of adults participating, and any other children encountered by staff and volunteers when providing our service at an event or programme. This Policy will be reviewed annually and updated as required with changes in legislation and relevant policies. Scope This policy covers all staff and volunteers of Kiwibots – The NZ Robotics Charitable Trust who have direct or indirect contact with children at Kiwibots events and programmes. This includes those staff, paid or voluntary, employed directly by Kiwibots, as well as those professionals contracted or invited to provide services to children at or during any Kiwibots event or programme. This policy covers the Trustees and their responsibilities in the safety and wellbeing of children. Responsibilities & Expectations We expect our staff and volunteers to be attentive to all persons at any Kiwibots event or programme, and to report any concerns, suspicions or allegations of inappropriate behaviour or suspected abuse immediately so that the concern can be reported and acted on appropriately. Vetting Requirements We are committed to ensuring that children and young people accessing our services and events are safe. Any individual who may deal directly or indirectly with children and young people and wishes to participate in an employment, mentoring, coaching, event support or other paid or voluntary role with Kiwibots must comply to a safety check by Kiwibots. Independent teams participating in our robotics competitions who are not part of a NZ registered organisation (e.g. an independent family team or home school group team) should have their own Child Protection Policies and safety checks in place. Where a team does not have such policies or considerations, they can request for a NZ Police Vetting to be performed through Kiwibots and receive a copy of their report. For Our Volunteers The safety check may include NZ Police Vetting, Risk and Safety Assessment (if volunteer is classed as Children’s Worker under the Vulnerable Children’s Act 2014), or verification of references provided if required. At a minimum, we will require our volunteers to consent to a NZ Police Vetting, where the results are kept in confidence and shared only with the volunteer. Vetting results are valid for 3 years from date of receipt and approval. Cases where our volunteers will not need to undergo a NZ Police Vetting include: Volunteer is a current registered NZ teacher Volunteer is a current volunteer, employee or member of NZ organisation that has a NZ Police Vetting in place (e.g. OSCAR provider) and can be verified Volunteer is under 16yrs old Volunteer is a current AND enrolled secondary student attending a listed NZ school Volunteer can provide a copy of their current NZ Police Vetting result to Kiwibots For Our Staff The safety check may include NZ Police Vetting, Risk and Safety Assessment (if volunteer is classed as Children’s Worker under the Vulnerable Children’s Act 2014), Drug and Alcohol Testing, verification of references provided if required, verification of qualifications, personal reference checks, verification of identification, and a structured interview process. At a minimum, we will require our candidates applying for employment to consent to a NZ Police Vetting, structured interview, personal reference checks and verification of identification. Vetting results are valid for 3 years from date of receipt and approval. Kiwibots will follow a robust decision-making process in responding to positive results from vetting and safety checking. We must be satisfied that any appointment would pose no undue risk to the safety of children and young people in its programmes or events. All safety checks, assessments and decisions to employ will be signed off by the National Manager. Where these checks flag that there would be a heightened level of risk should a person be employed (in a paid or voluntary role), the National Manager will consult with the Chairperson of the Board of Trustees before a decision is made. We will not employ any staff member or take on any volunteer who has a conviction identified as a specified offence within Schedule 2 of the Vulnerable Children's Act 2014. Procedures Any concerns of potential, suspected, or alleged abuse or inappropriate behaviour must be brought to the attention of the National Manager of Kiwibots. If the National Manager is not available, this should be brought to the attention of the Trustees. The concern will be reported and a decision will be made to seek further advice, or where appropriate, notify Oranga Tamariki. The decisions taken will be recorded and kept securely by Kiwibots, accessible only to current Trustees and the National Manager, identifying the concern/incident and reasons behind decision made. In line with the Principles of the Privacy Act 1993, information will be disclosed as necessary. Family and whanau will be informed of any information that is shared and to which agency in this process. Sharing information with family and whanau to better protect children is not a breach in confidentiality. Where a minor or young person makes a disclosure to staff member or volunteer, it is important that they take what the child has said seriously. The staff member or volunteer must not attempt to conduct an investigation or deal with the concern alone and must proceed with the response outlined below. Responding to Incident or Suspected Abuse Incident is occurring/ suspected abuse happens or is disclosed. Ensure that the child/young person is safe from immediate harm and removed from any dangerous situation. Carefully document in writing anything said by the child or person sharing the information about the abuse/incident. Include the date, time, and persons present at the incident. If the person sharing this information is the person documenting an observation (e.g. a volunteer suspects inappropriate behaviour between a spectator and a child), they should make sure they document any verbal, physical and behavioural observations. Immediately contact the person in charge of the event (a Kiwibots Regional Coordinator) and the National Manager, or an alternative Kiwibots Regional Coordinator if the allegation concerns the person in charge of the event. The Chairman of the Board of NZ Robotics Charitable Trust will be advised. Trustees of the Board, the National Manager, and the Regional Coordinator in charge of the event where the incident took place will discuss to review and make a decision. Where required, either the Regional Coordinator or the National Manager will submit a notification to Oranga Tamariki and/or the NZ Police. Allegations Made Against Members of Staff Allegations, suspicions or complaints of abuse against staff, volunteers or representatives of other agencies must be taken seriously and reported to the National Manager who will deal with them immediately, sensitively and expediently within the procedures outlined. It is NOT the responsibility of staff or volunteers to investigate allegations of child abuse. Contact Details for National Manager – Michelle Hazeleger-Mollard: +64 21 298 9492 or michellem@kiwibots.co.nz Safe Working Practices A relationship between an adult and a child or young person cannot be a relationship between equals. There is a potential for exploitation and harm of vulnerable young people. Adults have a responsibility to ensure that an unequal balance of power is not used for personal advantage or gratification. All staff and volunteers are expected to behave in manners that maintain appropriate professional boundaries and avoid behaviour that might be misinterpreted by others. Below are outlines that can help create a safe environment for all. Being Alone With Children and Young People To minimise risks of being isolated or alone with children and young people, staff and volunteers should examine situations where this may occur. Wherever possible, an open door policy for all spaces should be used (excludes toilets). Staff and volunteers should be aware of compromising situations and ensure that strategies are in place to help them deal safely with these situations (for example, calling up another staff member and putting them on loudspeaker or facetiming a friend or family member to minimise isolation if a situation is unavoidable). We will generally design the events so that there are minimal situations where isolation would take place, as two adults will need to be present to run something (e.g. Judge Interviews at National Championships) or things are all in a group setting in a communal hall. Staff and volunteers should avoid being alone when transporting a child or young person, unless emergency requires it. The exception to this is groups travelling with express consent from the child’s parents or guardian for a designated adult, e.g. a team coach who is volunteering at the event and is responsible for transport of a whole team and parents are all aware and consenting of this. Appropriate Language to Use in Front of Children and Young People All language used must be to provide positive guidance to children and young people. We actively promote appropriate behaviour using praise and encouragement and create a safe environment. We do not use blaming, harsh, belittling or degrading language. We strongly discourage language that assumes stereotypes (e.g. you run like a girl), or is ableist, racist, sexist or discriminatory. Relationships and Communications with Children and Young People With the exception of relationships that already exist between a child/young person and their family, we strongly discourage our volunteers from forming external friendships between adult and child (classed as 12yrs and under). It may be appropriate to have a relationship with the child’s parent or guardian, and by extension be involved in other events that may involve the child. For young persons (aged 12 and above), we recognise that they may want to begin networking, particularly amongst the tech community. It is appropriate for a volunteer to introduce this young person to relevant events of interest to them that are age appropriate, though we advise it is best to inform the young person’s parent or legal guardian of the intentions of this meeting and that it is cleared. Photography and Videos As part of the Kiwibots Event Participation Forms and VEX & RECF Waivers, all participants at our events have signed a photography waiver and we can use their likeness in any and all future promotion of our service. The exception to this rule is when a participant has actively informed us that they are not to be seen in public or photographed by our crew. In these cases, we make a special effort to have them easily identified (different colour band or lanyard) and we inform any key photographers at the event that the child is not to be photographed or videoed. Physical Contact Parents and guardians should be advised if there is any requirement for one to one physical contact to take place. The nature of our events should not require this. Physical contact should be limited to momentary contacts, such as high-fives, fist bumps, handshaking etc.. Where a child or young person is being comforted, we advise that contact is limited to the arm and shoulder. It is generally not appropriate for hugging to take place between a child/young person and a volunteer or staff member where there is no existing relationship – i.e. this does not apply to family members or close friends and family friends. Where a child or young person requires assistance, e.g., if they are intellectually or physically disabled, if possible involve the parents/caregivers and outside agencies to assist. If this assistance is not available, ensure that the staff and volunteers are aware of the appropriate procedures when giving assistance, including medical aid. Unauthorised People Accessing Children As many of our events are public, spectators may join after signing into the event. Staff and volunteers should be aware and attentive of these spectators, visitors, and supporting members. If there is an incident or suspected inappropriate behaviour by a spectator, please observe closely, notify the Regional Coordinator in charge of the event to help you monitor, and proceed with the response outlined in this policy if the suspected behaviour is inappropriate, e.g. a spectator with no team affiliation is attending to watch and has tried to create a circumstance they will be alone with a child or young person from a team. As all of our attendees (including spectators) are expected to sign in their attendance at an event, it is appropriate to ask for their name to document if there is suspected inappropriate behaviour. Contact Details Current National Manager, Michelle Hazeleger-Mollard, can be contacted on michellem@kiwibots.co.nz or in more urgent scenarios, called at +64 21 298 9492 (this number is also attended after hours). Regional Coordinators can be identified at the event in Kiwibots’ branded attire and should be clearly identifiable to attendees. As per procedures above, for any incidents happening in real time, first point of contact should be the Regional Coordinator on site who will contact the National Manager. In an emergency, the NZ Police should be called on 111. If the incident concerns a member of staff, please contact the National Manager. The Chairperson of the Board of Trustees, Mike Hearn, can be reached where necessary at mike@amcham.co.nz .

Regional Events Central Robotics Manawatū – Taranaki Upcoming Events Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland – Waikato Upcoming Events Canterbury Robotics Waitaha Upcoming Events Tauranga & Bay of Plenty Upcoming Events

Kiwibots exist to provide opportunities that grow the capability of New Zealand's future innovators and creative thinkers. We future-proof Kiwi kids - find out more about how we do it in NZ Education, STEM Education resources and robotics. The Kiwibots Story In 2008, a team of enthusiastic Kiwi educators, business reps and students could see that science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) was soon to be the forefront of education. This group scoped out what was happening in the world, travelled to see the VEX programme in action, and saw the potential of sharing it with Aotearoa – inspiring young Kiwis one robot at a time. The NZ Robotics Charitable Trust was founded in 2009 with the support of businesses that could see the future growth of the tech industry and the imminent global need for more innovators, problem solvers, and creative thinkers. NZ teams competed in their first season of VEX Robotics in the 2009-2010 season. In true Kiwi fashion, the students showed innovation and a 'No. 8 wire' approach to problem solving that resulted in a World Championship title, knocking reigning champions out of the top spot! Since then, Kiwibots has grown, creating and supporting teams from intermediate through university to world calibre levels that put NZ on the map in the robotics and tech industry. Kiwibots teams have won World Championship titles 15 times against 70+ competing countries. They have also won awards such as the Excellence Award, Sportsmanship Award, Judge's Award, and many more. As a charitable organisation, our shared successes would not be possible without the support of our generous funders over the years. Thanks to them, whānau, kaiako and volunteers, the future of robotics excellence and STEAM advancement will be filled with innovative Kiwis. See all awards About: Who we are The Kiwibots Difference Unlike other software and coding based education, we encourage students to create physical results using robotics. The gamification of learning tasks creates a more engaging experience, while also fostering collaboration , communication , and creativity . Our programme alumni find themselves in careers with top technology firms across the world due to skills gained with Kiwibots robotics. Meet the Team Michelle Hazeleger-Mollard (she/her) National Operations Manager Michelle leads the Kiwibots programme nationwide, working with Event Partners, educators, and all of our Kiwibots whānau. Responsible to the Board of Trustees, Michelle has a background in teaching and a Masters in Educational Leadership. She covers the main business aspects of Kiwibots. Doug Bryan (he/him) Event Partner – Tāmaki Makaurau Doug is a technology teacher and comes from a background of automotive and hard materials technologies. He has been with Kiwibots since the first years, starting the teams at Onehunga High School (SymbiOHsis) who have represented NZ and won at the VEX World Championships. Stephan van Haren (he/him) Event Partner – Manawatū Since 2014, Stephan has organised the VEX IQ National Championships for Kiwibots. Stephan has also set up the Central Region Robotics Trust to support new schools/teams that want to try robotics across the central North Island. Stephan is based in the Manawatu, teaching at St. Peter's College and won the Inspiration All-Star award in 2019. Haley Taylor Event Partner – Waitaha Canterbury Haley is the Technology Team Leader at Breens Intermediate Ōtautahi, and is kaiako of Digital Technologies. She leads the eSports, robotics and coding teams within the Kura and across the Waimairi-iri Kāhui Ako. Haley is particularly passionate about engaging girls in tech. She has led a number of tamariki to success within the robotics field nationally. Haley also has a background in music with a diploma in performance trumpet. Issy Riddell-Garner (she/her) Regional Coordinator – Te Whanganui-a-Tara Based in Wellington, Issy has been through the Kiwibots programme herself after stumbling upon it while at Wellington Girls' High School. She's joined us as a Regional Coordinator to continue creating events for our Kiwi kids and has been one of our longest student turned alumni volunteers! David Aston (he/him) Event Partner – Tāmaki Makaurau David is based in Auckland and is one of our longest serving Kiwibots ambassadors, creating teams and introducing VEX to his school when Kiwibots started in 2009. Winner of Inspiration All-Star 2016, David juggles supporting many VRC teams across Auckland as well as the pick, pack and despatch of goods for teams nationwide. Toni de Rijk (she/her) Event Partner – Bay of Plenty Toni and her husband, Paul, help support all the events and teams from the Bay of Plenty. Toni's been with Kiwibots for a number of years. As well as all the engagement from her region, she has also had her own children go through the programme. She has won Volunteer of the Year a number of times to recognise her passion and work in the community. Ben Ellery (he/him) Event Partner – Manawatū Ben is based in Palmerston North and is the Chairperson of Central Robotics Trust, running this with Stephan van Haren. Ben has been through the Kiwibots programme as a student before joining as part of the core team, with a particular interest in the technical side of our events. Andy Kerrison (he/him) Event Partner – Waitaha Canterbury Andy has been a key volunteer with Kiwibots for a number of years working alongside Katana. He is currently at St. Andrew's College. Prior to his extensive career in teaching, Andy comes from an engineering background and brings these skills to his work, sharing invaluable insights for students and colleagues. John Ovens (he/him) Event Partner – Ōtākou John has been involved in the Kiwibots program since 2014, competing in 2015 with Long Bay College and then in 2017 with world champions AURA. Now working as a mechatronics engineer in Dunedin, John is keen to get more competitive robotics going down in the Otago region. Contact us if you’re keen to be a part of our robotics down south! Craig Yearbury (he/him) Event Partner – Tāmaki Makaurau Craig teaches at Lynfield College and has been part of the Kiwibots programme since it started in NZ. He has coached many teams across Auckland, and successfully brought teams to the World Championships to claim titles for NZ too. Jana Robertson (she/her) Regional Coordinator – Taranaki Jana is an experienced Kaiako at Spotswood College, in Taranaki. She holds several positions, including Technology Programme Leader | Pouārahi Hangarau, Digital Technology Kaiako | Pouāko Hangarau Matihiko, ICT Manager | Pouārahi Hangarau Whakaaturanga 11JRBpa Learning Advisory | Pouāwhina. Jana brings a wealth of experience and passion to robotics. B randon Montagnani (he/him) Event Partner – Manawatū Brandon is based in Palmerston North and first started as a student at PNBHS in 2011. He has continued to help as a volunteer at scrimmages and other events ever since. Brandon is a Mechatronics engineer and Massey University alumni, based in the Manawatu region, with a huge passion for Science and Technology. Andy Thawley (he/him) Event Partner – Waitaha Canterbury Andy is the Head of Digital Technology at Christchurch Boys’ High School and is involved with Kiwibots, eSports and laptop refurbishment. Prior to returning to Christchurch, Andy taught in Auckland and the UK. He is passionate about getting as many people involved in technology and innovation as possible. When possible he loves to travel but is settling for doing this virtually at the moment. Hutana Maxwell (he/him) Event Partner – Murihiku Southland Te Awara, Tuhoe and Ngati Whare; “me kii nga hau e wha". Hutana has a background in Te Ao Māori and Education and is currently kaiako at Wakatipu High School. Hutana is passionate about Hangarau Matihiko (digital technology) and Karetao (robotics). Hutana aims to enhance the Māori holistic view of health and wellbeing in Aotearoa. Board of Trustees Mike Hearn Executive Director AmCham Steve Watkinson Project Manager, Kaiarahi Projects Te Herenga Mātai Pūkaha The University of Auckland Kate Thompson Development Manager, Science Te Herenga Mātai Pūkaha The University of Auckland Ant Self Group Chief Financial Officer Netlogix New Zealand Kelly Moodie Women in Engineering Advisor Faculty of Engineering Te Herenga Mātai Pūkaha The University of Auckland Jana Robertson Kaiako Representative for Kiwibots Board Greg Smale Director Smales Farm Lizzie Quill Fundraising Manager SPCA

What We Do Kiwibots engage tamariki and rangatahi in robotics through events and education programmes. We empower the future generation through collaboration, communication, and creativity. Kiwibots are the only licensed distributor of VEX Robotics in Aotearoa. Run by volunteers and financed by sponsorship, teams can compete monthly through tournaments and annually at the National Championships. Every year, we send teams to represent Aotearoa at the World Championships in the USA. VEX in Schools Providing the tools to help rangatahi succeed! Robotics programmes enrich and enhance STEAM education. We provide Kaiako (teachers) with a programme that allows them to seamlessly integrate Kiwibots Robotics into their classroom. We are fully aligned with the New Zealand Education curriculum. Never taught robotics? No problem! Kiwibots have worked with VEX to map the programme against the NZ Teaching Curriculum to help with a seamless integration into your programme. Our resources are a completely free companion to the VEX IQ platform and can be found by clicking the link below! Kiwibots also run nationwide championships at the end of each year. RESOURCES VEX Education Resources mapped against NZ Teaching Curriculum All Resources QUESTIONS? Email contact@kiwibots.co.nz to help you get started. Contact Us

Frequently Asked Questions Do I need to know anything about STEAM and robotics to get started? The short answer - no! We believe that a spark of curiosity and an eagerness to learn is all you need to get started. If you are looking to run VEX programmes to introduce robotics into your teaching curriculum, there are plenty of free resources VEX have created that also have supplementary materials by Kiwibots mapping it to the NZ Teaching Curriculum. For students, parents and others looking to get involved, there's a huge community across NZ and the world that help each other on the forums - everyone is always more than happy to help with each others questions especially for those who are just starting their Kiwibots journey. How old do I need to be to get involved? There is no minimum age, however most of our teams are approximately intermediate school age onwards as this is often when the programmes are in place at schools to support the teams. That said - we are on the lookout for keen parents and teachers who would love to help create independent teams for our younger Kiwibots students, so let us know if you want to! The competitions run with the Northern Hemisphere school calendar, and so competition levels are split by contestants age at the time of World Championships of that season. Students who will be 12 or younger at the time of World Championships are classed as Elementary in VIQRC, 14 or younger as Middle School VIQRC, and 18 or younger as V5RC. Anyone enrolled at a tertiary institute can compete in VEX U. How many people do I need to start a team? Teams require 3 or more students to register for any VEX competitions. When does the competition season start? Competitions run with the Northern Hemisphere school calendar. The new challenge season is released in May, and runs through to the following April. NZ Nationals for VEX IQ are held in Nov/Dec, and VEX VRC approximately Feb. World Championships are held in April in the USA. How do I register for events? If you have a team and are looking to register for scrimmages, head over to robotevents.com to find the event you would like to attend and register there (for a shortcut, click the Events tab in the menu!) We use these registrations as the 'roll' for our events, so it is important that you register theere prior to attending to participate at a scrimmage. Note - reminders to register are also sent out from Kiwibots. Make sure you subscribe to our mailing list to not miss any announcements! We don't have VEX at my school. Can I still take part? Absolutely! VEX equipment is available through our store to all, and as a Charitable Trust, we price all of these as affordably as we can. Many people have purchased VEX equipment to dabble in robotics intheir leisure time, as a fun weekend project, or as a stepping stone to getting involved in the VEX VRC competitions later on with an independent team. If you want VEX in your school, feel free to get in touch with us or check out our VEX in schools info, designed for educators with supplementary resources and tools. How can I get Robotics Equipment? Check out our store (store.kiwibots.co.nz) to see our range. We do our best to bring on new robotics lines that remain accessible to all, however if you or your organisation is not in a position to invest in equipment, get in touch with us at contact@kiwibots.co.nz. We are currently working on alternatives such as a library of gear that can be loaned and new exciting products, so do get in touch if this applies to you or you're interested! Our partners at Central Robotics Regional Trust also run a selection of loan robots and kits for new schools and teams in the Central North Island regions - terms and conditions apply. Please get in touch with us at Kiwibots and we will direct you to the Central Robotics team and provide any other support we can. I need a refund or exchange of faulty item No problem - please get in touch with our team at contact@kiwibots.co.nz and we can help you with that :) Please include in your email tthe order number, faulty part and issue, and we'll be in touch as soon as we can. Which VEX Competition am I supposed to do? You can find a details guide here. As a guide (and there are definitely exceptions to this!), primary and intermediate schools should participate in the VEX IQ Challenge (plastic robots) and High Schools in VRC (metal robots). Advanced younger students can do VRC as there is no minimum age requirement, however we advise that primary and intermediate teams wishing to participate in VRC consider the financial step up involved, and the dexterity required with metal robots.

Get Involved With Kiwibots Get Involved With Kiwibots There's a place for everyone in our hapori (community) – whether it's starting your own team, volunteering at an event, becoming an industry partner, or cheering from the audience! Starting a New Team So you're keen on getting involved with competing? Awesome! Team requirements: At least 3 students Access to VEX Robotics kits Enthusiasm and willingness to learn! If you are able to fulfil all the requirements above, that's perfect! You have the essentials for starting a team. Get in touch with us at contact@kiwibots.co.nz Register To compete at our events, you will need to register your teams annually with the RECF (Robotics Education & Competition Foundation ) at RobotEvents.com Gear Up Make sure you have a VEX kit for the season. We recommend: VIQRC GEN 2 for Years 5–10 V5 Competition Starter Kit for Years 11+ Get Vetted We provide a safe environment for all tamariki that take part in our programmes. Coaches, mentors and key volunteers are all vetted. View our Child Protection Policy Participate Head along to events to make connections, improve your skills, and share design ideas. RSVP for each event on RobotEvents.com Still Have Questions? Get in touch about starting a team!

Kiwibots exist to provide opportunities that grow the capability of New Zealand's future innovators and creative thinkers. Find out more about how we future-proof Kiwi kids with robotics. Kiwibots inspires and empowers the next generation of innovators and creative thinkers. Our programmes provide rangatahi (youth) with opportunities to develop communication, collaboration, and creativity: skills that future-proof Kiwi kids. We are a charitable organisation that proudly facilitates Aotearoa New Zealand's only large scale robotics education + competition programme covering all levels of schooling from primary through tertiary. Kiwibots at a Glance Kiwibots helps students to learn science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) in a fun and engaging way. We achieve this through various robotics tools, primarily VEX Robotics; a global leader in robotics education. Early engagement with STEAM education ensures that young Kiwis are equipped for a future in the tech industry. Our unique Kiwi ‘Number 8 wire' methods of design & problem-solving play a key role. Rangatahi that go through our programmes gain invaluable experience in: Creative problem solving Teamwork (especially under pressure!) Engineering design Working with complex electronics Hands-on building and material work Coding and IT Skills Cross-cultural relationship building Accolades Kiwibots are World Champions with VEX Excellence (Team JANK) and Design (Team WINGU5) Awards at university level. We've worked with 10,000+ NZ tauira (students) aged 8 and up through VEX competitions, and even more with our education programmes. More than 2000 young Kiwis have represented Aotearoa at the VEX World Championships, and our teams have won awards at international level 15 times. See All Awards How Does it Work? Kiwibots manages three levels of competitions, aimed at different school ages: VEX IQ – Up to age 15 VEX V5RC (VEX Robotics Challenge) – Up to age 18 VEX U (University) Teams can comprise school groups or independents. With the support of a coach, the students do all the design, building, programming and operating themselves. Each year, in line with the Northern Hemisphere school calendar, VEX releases a new design challenge for students across the world to solve by designing and building innovative robotic solutions. Get Involved VEX 123 Kindergarten – Year 3 VEX Go Primary School VEX IQ Primary – Intermediate (Elementary – Middle School) VEX V5 Intermediate – Secondary (Middle – High School) VEX U University (College) "Achieving success with the smallest things on a robot started me down a path of becoming interested in all things mechanical." - Vincent, Auckland VEX V5RC alumni Contact Kiwibots Fill out the form to learn more about our mahi & how you can get involved – we'll be in touch as soon as possible. If you have a pressing matter, reach out to our National Operations Manager directly: Michelle Hazeleger-Mollard contact@kiwibots.co.nz +64 21 298 9492 I want to subscribe to the newsletter. Submit Tēnā koe! Thank you!

Elementary School Registration Middle School Registration 2025/26 Kiwibots VEX NZ Nationals We look forward to seeing you at Aotearoa New Zealand's largest STEM robotics competitions! Mark the dates in your calendar now! 5th–7th December 2025: Kiwibots VIQRC Nationals Fly Palmy Arena, Manawatū 31st January 2026: Kiwibots VEX University Nationals Waipapa Taumata Rau – University of Auckland 20th–22nd February 2026: Kiwibots V5RC Nationals Onehunga High School, Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland Volunteer at VIQRC Nationals V5RC Registration Volunteer at V5RC Nationals

VEX Curriculum & Resources VEX STEM Labs VEX Robotics partnered with teachers to create STEM Labs: free lesson plans designed for seamless classroom integration. Kiwibots have mapped these to the NZ Curriculum for even easier adoption. EASY Clear, structured, and easy to use FLEXIBLE Adaptable formats with pacing guides FUN! Hands-on, engaging, and collaborative STEM Labs for Computer Science Education STEM Labs for High School STEM Labs for Intermediate + Upper Primary STEM Labs for Years 3–6 STEM Labs for ages 4+ NZ Curriculum Alignments Hangarau Matahiko & NCEA Our role here at Kiwibots is to help educators with their work in sharing the love of STEM and inspiring a lifelong passion. To help out with your lesson planning, we have all of the STEM Labs mapped to the relevant year levels so that you can quickly see if a certain STEM Lab will fulfil the Progress Outcomes you're after, or how much that Lab can support various Achievement Standards. These are available for free - simply click the link below to download and see the mapping. If you are unsure about which VEX Product group best suits your students, check out the Curriculum Map for all VEX products that outlines all of the year levels and where they overlap. NZ Curriculum Map for all VEX Products NZ Curriculum Map NZ Curriculum Map NZ Curriculum Map NZ Curriculum Map NZ Curriculum Map VEX Certification Anybody in New Zealand (teacher, coach, parent, anyone!), can gain VEX Certification online, opening up access to a growing global community of users and resources in many Professional Learning Communities (PLCs). The VEX Certification System is available to all users at no cost and VEX and the REC Foundation have compiled many resources to help people gain their certification. The VEX Certification System demonstrates to other educators (and volunteers) that VEX certified educators understand the fundamentals of using and implementing VEX Robotics. The VEX Certification System also allows REC Foundation volunteers to demonstrate competency in various aspect of running a REC Foundation event. In addition to the lessons in the training courses, users will also have the opportunity to take practice exams, ensuring that they are completely prepared for the certification exam. Read More

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