Oxford, AL – Students from across Alabama and Georgia are preparing to bring their engineering and programming skills to the fifth Oxford VEX Robotics competition, scheduled for Thursday, November 20, and Friday, November 21, 2025. The event will be held at the Choccolocco Research Education Arts and Technical Experience (CREATE) center at 1 Cliff Garrett Drive in Oxford.
Interest in the event continues to grow. More than 200 students participated in the previous competition in February, and over 40 teams are already registered for the November event. Organizers note that the VEX Robotics program provides students with hands-on experience in communication, collaboration, time management, and problem-solving, while also encouraging interest in STEM careers.
Thursday’s portion of the competition will focus on the VEX V5 division. Teams will compete by using their robots to place rings on stakes, move mobile goals across the field, and complete a tower climb in the final seconds of each match. The VEX IQ division will follow on Friday and will include the Rapid Relay alliance challenge, the individual Robot Skills Challenge, and a Coding Skills match that tests each team’s programming abilities with minimal human input.
“Oxford is proud to again host this showcase for the technological talents of hundreds of students from across the region,” said Oxford Mayor Alton Craft. “These competitions are not only entertaining to watch, but they also serve to enhance the education and training in the tools required for the workforce of the next generation. I and the city council are pleased to assist and support bringing this unique opportunity to our local students.”
Competition begins at 9 a.m. on both days. Admission is free for spectators, though viewing space will be limited due to the number of teams and equipment on site.
Thursday’s schedule includes inspections beginning at 7:30 a.m., a driver’s meeting at 8:30, the welcome ceremony at 9, and qualification rounds beginning at 9:15. Lunch will take place from 11:30 a.m. to noon. Alliance selection is planned for 2 p.m., followed by elimination rounds at 2:30 and awards at 3 p.m.
Friday’s schedule mirrors the same start times, with inspections beginning at 7:30 a.m., the driver’s meeting at 8:30, and the welcome ceremony at 9. Matches begin at 9:15 and continue until lunch at 11:30. Finals are scheduled for 1 p.m., and the awards ceremony will follow at 2 p.m.
