In the summer of 2019, Iowa and Nebraska VEX IQ coaches were invited to an evening summit at Mary Our Queen Church in Omaha — a chance to connect, share, and gear up for the upcoming Squared Away season.
Event Details
- Date: Saturday, June 1, 2019
- Time: 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM
- Location: Mary Our Queen Church (Kenny Center), 3405 S 118th St, Omaha, NE 68144
Drinks and appetizers were provided.
What the Summit Included
Game Preview
The Squared Away game was on display at the summit, giving coaches a hands-on look at the new challenge before the official season kickoff.
Notebook Showcase
Sample engineering notebooks from a variety of experience levels — and spanning a decade of coaching — were available for coaches to review. Engineering notebooks are a key judging criterion at VEX IQ events, and seeing examples from different skill levels helped coaches understand what judges look for.
Best Practices and Q&A
The summit was designed as a collegial space for coaches to share what worked for their teams and ask questions about running a program. A dedicated Q&A session wrapped up the evening.
Building Community
This kind of pre-season gathering reflects one of gainingSTEAM's core values: that great coaches make great teams. By bringing together experienced and new coaches from across Iowa and Nebraska, the summit helped build the regional community that makes the VEX IQ program strong.
Coaches were encouraged to share the invitation with any programs not yet on the mailing list — especially schools or organizations considering starting a competitive robotics program.