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Frequently Asked Questions

What does growingSTEMS stand for?

growing Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Students! We aim to provide experiences that will help the students grow in STEM related areas.

Who is growingSTEMS?

growingSTEMS is a federally recognized 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based out of Hollywood, Maryland. Currently growingSTEMS is a 100% volunteer ran organization with zero paid staff / positions. We are always looking for additional volunteers to help support our various efforts. If you are interested in volunteering, please check out our Volunteer Page.

Are my donations tax deductible?

All donations made to growingSTEMS (a 501(c)(3) federally recognized nonprofit organization – EIN 46-0573936) are tax deductible. If you would like a donation receipt for tax purposes, please submit your request to info@growingstems.org and we would be more then happy to provide you with one.

Are there any prerequisites?

The only prerequisite for joining any of our programs is the willingness to learn and be part of a team. No prior training or robotics experience is required, everyone is encouraged to apply and become a STEM student!

What program would my child be involved with?

growingSTEMS offers 3 levels of programs for our community ranging from 3rd grade and up, no matter the school or educational program.

  • VEX IQ – 3rd to 8th grade (ages 8-14)
    • Elementary – 3rd to 5th grade (ages 8-11)
    • Standard – 5th to 8th grade (ages 11-14)
    • Advanced – 6th to 8th grade (ages 12-14)
      • growingSTEMS will admit students to the Advanced Teams based on maturity, skill, coaches recommendation, or similar factors.
  • FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) – 9th through 12th grade (ages 14-18)
  • Combat Robotics – 3rd grade and above (ages 8 and up)

While there is some overlap of program grade ranges, we reserve the right to direct students in that overlap area to specific programs.

When and where do the programs meet?

All of our programs meet at The Hive – 44010 Commerce Ave, Suite A, Hollywood MD, 20636.

VEX IQ

VEX IQ has various meeting times throughout the week/weekend depending on the level of program and they change from year to year.

  • VEX IQ Elementary
    • Elementary teams meet once during the weekend, for a one-hour session.
    • Meeting times may be Saturday or Sunday depending on coach availability.*
  • VEX IQ Standard & Advanced
    • Standard teams meet once during the week (6-7:30PM Monday through Friday) and once during the weekend (Saturday or Sunday) for a one-and-a-half hour session.
    • Companion time slots (i.e. Mondays & Saturday from 3-4:30, or Thursdays & Sundays from 2-3:30) are determined by coach availability.*

* Our VEX IQ teams are 100% parent coached, meeting timeslots are determined by their availability to host sessions. growingSTEMS is a volunteer run organization that does its best to accommodate families, but there are no guarantees of specific timeslots or placements. Parent coaches are typically coordinated and confirmed in late July / early August.

Once parent coaches are confirmed, a poll will be sent out to registered families who have been accepted into the program to indicate which timeslot or timeslot combinations they would prefer. Students will be assigned to teams based on their preference rankings to the best of our ability, no guarantees are made that a timeslot will work for everyone’s schedules.

FRC

FRC has two “seasons”, the Competition Season (January through May) and the Offseason (June through December). During the Competition Season students meet on Mondays / Thursdays from 6-8PM and Saturdays 9AM-3PM. Additional optional meetings may be added throughout the competition season as required to complete the robot. When transitioning to the Offseason, we drop the Saturday meeting and only meet on Monday/Thursday.

For specifics about the enrollment process and when new students will start attending meetings, please see our dedicated FRC page.

When is enrollment and how do I register?

Enrollment periods vary between the programs as their competition seasons are different times of the year. The below are generalized dates that are subject to change based on team / program enrollment rates.

  • VEX IQ – May/June through August
  • FRC – May/June through December
  • Antweight combat robotics – March through June
  • Team Honey Cracked – March through June

You can check to see if programs are open for enrollment on our signup page. Open enrollment for our VEX IQ and FRC programs occur during our summer open house (normally scheduled end of May or early June).

More up to date information will be posted on this website and through out social media pages. If you would like to be added to our mailing list and receive emails about open enrollment, please send word to info@growingstems.org.

How much does it cost?

  • VEX IQ Elementary – $200 Registration Fee
  • VEX IQ Standard – $320 Registration Fee
  • VEX IQ Advanced – $400 Registration Fee
  • Antweight combat robotics – $400 to $450
  • FRC – $800 Registration Fee + Travel Expenses (~$500 to $1500/year depending on competition selection)
  • Team Honey Cracked combat robotics – $700 Registration Fee + Travel Expenses (~$400 to $1200/year depending on competition selection)

Prices and associated expenses are subject to change prior to registration confirmation. growingSTEMS reserves the right to update or modify program fees at any time.

Are you part of the STEM Academy / School System?

growingSTEMS has no affiliation with the St. Mary’s County Public School System / STEM Academy. We are a external organization aimed at providing a STEM experience to our community , no matter their school.

Is this Battle Bots!?

The majority of our community robotics programs that growingSTEMS offer are focused around non-combat robotics. These robots are designed and built to compete in task based challenges.

As of the summer of 2021, growingSTEMS has offered Combat Robotics programs for interested participants.

All of the growingSTEMS programs are focused on growing the participants skills in engineering, leadership, and critical thinking. All our main programs are worlds class teams that are high achieving in their leagues!