The WPI XRP Medal recognizes middle and high school student teams (FIRST Robotics Competition, FIRST Tech Challenge, FIRST LEGO League, and FIRST Global Teams) who:
- Demonstrate leadership in expanding access to robotics education in their schools and communities.
- Use XRP as a tool to design creative learning experiences, such as games, challenges, camps, or competitions which are made publicly available to all
- Prioritize outreach to those who do not currently have access to enriching, hands-on STEM opportunities
- Inspire others through passion, persistence, and innovation, building opportunities that extend beyond their own team.
This medal celebrates students who don’t just build robots but build pathways for others to discover STEM
Submission Requirements
Teams applying for the WPI XRP Medal must submit the following:
- An essay limited to 5000 characters (including spaces and punctuation) describing their efforts, impact, and how XRP is central to their initiatives.
- A short video (maximum 2 minutes) will be submitted to showcase their work and highlight the team’s story.
- A 16:9 (“widescreen aspect ratio”)
- Not more than 2 minutes long, no shorter than 1 minute long.
- Include a clean audio track
- Free of copyright restrictions, including music.
Evaluation Criteria
- Impact – How has your team used XRP to transform STEM access, opportunity, or culture in your community?
- Innovation – What original projects, programs, or initiatives has your team created with XRP (e.g., camps, challenges, outreach events, competitions)?
- Access– How has your team intentionally engaged groups without access to hands-on STEM and aided in lowering barriers to participation?
- Leadership & Sustainability – How has your team inspired others to adopt XRP or ensured the continuation of your efforts?
- Embodying WPI’s Mission – How does your team represent WPI’s vision of theory and practice, hands on project-based learning, leadership, and lifelong learning?
Judging Process
Round 1: All submitted videos will be reviewed based on the evaluation criteria above. Judges will advance 50-75% of those submissions to Round 2.
Round 2: Essays which accompany the selected videos will be read and reviewed by the judges based on the evaluation criteria. Based on the evaluation of the essay and video combined, judges will select no more than 5 semi finalists to be honored virtually.
Round 3: Semi-finalists essays and videos will be reviewed and discussed. Judges may request follow-up, video judging interviews with teams to ask additional questions. The judges will then select the XRP Medal winner to be honored at the FIRST Championship.
Important Dates
Submission Portal Opens: 11/1/25
Submission Deadline: 1/23/26
Semifinalist Teams Announced and Recognized Virtually: 2/21/26
Winner Recognized at Houston FIRST Championship: 4/30/26 or 5/1/26