Vex Robotics
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Working in teams to code, design, & build robots.
VEX Robotics Club takes the engineering foundations students develop in 5th grade to the next level. This after-school club is open to all D97 middle school students in grades 6–8 at Brooks and Julian Middle Schools, and offers two tracks designed for different levels of robotics experience:
Competitive Track
Prepares teams for VEX V5 local competitions through our Chicagoland VEX League. Students design, build, and program robots to take on structured game challenges while developing advanced coding skills, strategic thinking, and high stakes teamwork.
Intramural Track
Designed for beginners. Students new to robotics learn the fundamentals of design, building, and coding in a lower-pressure, collaborative environment. Students can develop their skills and confidence before deciding whether they want to pursue competitive robotics.
What students will explore
Engineering
Engineering foundations and design thinking (Intramural Track)
Coding
VEX robotics design, construction, and programming (beginner through advanced)
Strategy
Competitive strategy and game analysis (Competitive Track)
Teamwork
Team dynamics, role specialization, and communication
Fundamentals
Technical documentation and engineering notebooks
"VEX Robotics is my 7th Grade daughter’s favorite activity at Julian. She has made some great friends through the program and just really enjoys working on the robot after school and whenever else she can. I love her excitement about the program and her new interest in engineering."
Julian Middle School Parent
Oak Park, Illinois
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OPEN's programs are free to students — and possible because of the generosity of our donors, partners, and community. Your support keeps STEAM exploration accessible to every child in Oak Park, regardless of background.