Wilder's Program Costs & Funding

Initial Program Costs for
2022-2023

  • Each team must have a VEX IQ Competition Kit - $649, plus shipping.

    • We plan to start our program with up to six kits through a matching program provided by the REC Foundation.

  • Each campus must have at least one Field Kit for practicing - $440, plus $77 shipping.

    • We are currently borrowing a Field Kit from another campus until we are able to purchase our own - Ideally, we'd like to eventually purchase two Field Kits for our campus.

  • We would like to provide a t-shirt to each student competitor, coach, parent volunteer, and community partner - $12-15 each.

  • Annual VEX Team registrations are $200 for the first team and $150 for each additional team. (We will apply for grants in hopes to reduce these fees.)

  • Tournament fees are $50 per team per tournament; however, these fees would be waived if Alvin ISD is hosting the tournament.

Total Expected Initial Program costs:

  • $4,331 - Six Robots and two Field Kits (Our "wish list" ideal plan)

  • $3,814 - Six Robots and one Field Kit

  • $3,297 - Six Robots, using a borrowed Field Kit (Our current plan)

Funding for our Initial Program Costs

  • The REC Foundation has agreed to set up a matching program for us to pilot the program in 2022. This means that we purchased three kits and they provided us with three additional kits at no charge!

  • The funding for our initial three kits mostly came from two Innovative Teaching Grants from the Alvin ISD Education Foundation totaling $1,928.13. Wilder Robotics already had about $200 that was added to this total, which was almost enough. Additional funds were provided by our generous donors and sponsors!

  • We are currently borrowing a Field Kit from another campus until we are able to purchase our own; however, we'd like to purchase two Field Kits for our students to use for practice.

  • All student participants in our current Lego Robotics program will receive a shirt at no charge thanks to our generous donors and sponsors!

Ongoing Program Costs after our Initial Year

  • Since the VEX IQ Competition Kits are non-consumable, we will be able to reuse them year-over-year. Some parts may wear out and need to be replaced, but these costs are expected to be relatively minimal.

  • While the Field Kit itself is reusable, the Field Elements (the items on and within the Field) will change each year. Once we own two Field Kits, we will only need to purchase the elements each year - $120 each, plus shipping.

  • We would like to provide a t-shirt to each student competitor, coach, parent volunteer, and community partner - $12-15 each.

  • Annual VEX Team registrations are $200 for the first team and $150 for each additional team. (This fee caps at $650 for up to 22 teams.)

  • Tournament fees are $50 per team; however, if Alvin ISD hosts the tournament, we are able to waive these fees for ourselves.

Expected Ongoing Costs: about $65 per student per year
(This amount assumes that we were already able to obtain the two Field Kits we need for students to practice, otherwise this cost will be higher until then. As of August 27, 2022, we have not obtained these needed fields. Become a Competition Field Sponsor today!)

Funding for our Ongoing Program Costs

  • Because we are not a Title I campus and do not qualify for Title I funding, we are ineligible for most grants.

  • The REC Foundation's very generous matching program is available to us on a one-time only event to help us pilot the program. Similar funds are not available to us on an ongoing basis.

  • The Innovative Teaching Grants from the Alvin ISD Education Foundation are also one-time gifts awarded to Tiffany and Jeremiah Ermenc and are not available to us on an ongoing basis.

  • Our program fee to participate in Wilder Robotics has historically been $25 per student - far below the $60-65 per student cost needed to operate the program.

  • The remaining funding must then come from other sources:

    • Fundraisers - Yeah, we know. Our kids already sell a lot of stuff...

    • Parent Donations - While this may be a valid option, we recognize that many parents will not be able to participate beyond the program fees they already paid.

    • Community Sponsors - Our Sponsors get to have their logos on our shirts, in our emails, on our website and social media, on banners at our tournaments, and they can even set up tables and/or distribute information at our events! If you know of anyone we should ask to be a Sponsor, please let us know!