Section 4: Awards
4.1 Overview
A wide variety of awards can be offered at each RECF event. Some are based on teams’ performance at that event, while others are based on specific attributes demonstrated by teams. Award descriptions and criteria in the Judged Award Descriptions & Criteria list the criteria for each award. All judged awards consider team conduct and student-centeredness.
4.2 Award Types
The RECF Qualifying Criteria for Robotics Programs identifies the awards that qualify teams from local events to an event region championship or the RECF World Championship. The exact number of qualifying spots allocated to an event is determined by the RECF RSM for that region and can be found on that event’s information page on RECFEvents.org.
RECF qualifying competitions can include several different types of awards:
4.2.1 Judged Awards
Judges, in coordination with the judge advisor, determine winners of these awards using the RECF judging process, award criteria, and rubrics. Teams must have completed an interview to receive a judged award. Most, but not all judged awards require the submission of a notebook.
4.2.2 Performance Awards
These awards are based solely on robot performance at the event. Earning a performance award does not impact a team’s eligibility to earn a judged award.
4.2.3 Volunteer Nominated Awards
Event volunteers can nominate teams for these awards based on what they see at the event. Alternatively, the awards can be determined solely by the judges. The Field Note to Judge Advisor form and the award nomination forms can be used to submit award nominees and provide information to the judge advisor. There is no nomination process for other award types.
- The EP and JA should develop a process to determine the winners of these awards
- These awards can be given out at an event that does not include judged awards
- If awarded based on nominations, any of these awards can be given to a team that has earned another judged award at the event
4.2.4 Individual Recognition Awards
These awards recognize the contributions of a volunteer, mentor, teacher, or sponsor, and are determined by the event partner. Judges do not determine individual award winners. Event partners may create their own process for judging these awards if needed.
4.2.5 Custom Awards
While nearly all events choose to use standard awards, it is possible to give out custom awards using the tournament software. Events should ensure that teams understand that these awards will not qualify them to championship events.
4.3 Award Quantities & Precedence
A maximum of one copy of each award is given out at an event, except for the Excellence Award and Judges Award in accordance with the RECF Robotics Qualifying Criteria. For the full list of judged awards, along with their descriptions, criteria, and other information, please see the Judged Award Descriptions & Criteria.
The precedence of judged awards for RECF Robotics Competitions is as follows, and aligns with Appendices A, B, and C in the RECF Robotics Qualifying Criteria. Volunteer-nominated, individual recognition, and custom awards do not factor into award precedence.
- Excellence Award
- Design Award
- Innovate Award
- Think Award
- Amaze Award
- Build Award
- Create Award
- Judges Award
- Inspire Award
Continue to the next section, Guide to Judging: Judging Engineering Notebooks