We currently have three programs where kids can get involved: battle bots, Summer camps, and competitive teams. An overview of these programs and what ages are eligible for each are listed on our About LASER page. 

Battle Bots occur monthly, Summer camps are at the end of May, and the call-out to join competitive teams is typically in June. All registration for our programs can be found on the Events tab. All events are announced on Facebook weeks in advance.

We strive to provide STEAM programming over as wide a range of ages as possible. Here's an overview of the ages per program:

Kids Battle Bots: grades 3-9

Adult Battle Bots: ages 14+

Summer Camps: grades 3-9

Competition Teams: ages 14 and under

In 2026 we will be launching competitive robotics teams for ages 14-18. Stay tuned!

No. LASER is a volunteer-run independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit. We launched independent of the schools so that students over a wider geographic area, from all educational affiliations can participate.

Unless otherwise specified our events are held at "The Lab" - 102 E 1st Street, Mineral VA 23117. 

All team practices are held at The Lab. Regional tournaments and States are typically within a 2.5 hr drive of Louisa. The host city for Worlds varies year-by-year. 

VexIQ Battle Bots is our in-house version of battle bots for kids (2nd  - 9th graders) where we use VexIQ hardware to build the robots. 

Smash'd Bots is our version of VexIQ Battle Bots for "adults" (14 and up). 

Both are focused around designing a unique robot of your own, building it, and then battling it against other robots. We will mix up the theme/challenge for each event such that there may be multiple objectives your robot has to meet, but there always will be a battle component!

We are always looking for mentors, sponsors, and volunteers to help with our expanding programs. 

Our volunteers page lists the time commitments associated with different programs. 

To become a financial sponsor, please see our donations page. 

If you'd like to help out in another area (field trip, marketing, operations, etc.), please contact us as we would love to collaborate with you. 

1. Attend the call-out meeting in early June (see the Events tab)

2. Submit an application

3. Team invites are sent out in early June

4. Teams are formed in mid-June

5. Team brainstorming practices begin in late July

6. Regular season team practices begin at the end of July/early August

The first two practices are brainstorming sessions that occur at the end of July. 

Regular season practices (2x weekly - 2 hrs per practice) begin after the brainstorming sessions at the end of July/early August.

Yes, for tournaments. Regional tournaments and States are within a 1 - 2.5 hr drive of Louisa. On average, teams attend 3 regional tournaments per season. 

Yes. Tournaments are a lot of fun where students run the show and collaborate with other teams. This is a key element of our competitive robotics program. If students need ride assistance, we are happy to help coordinate car-pooling. 

No, but we typically recommend that students try out a few battle bot sessions + a Summer camp to  gauge their interest in robotics over a wider range of time with varying degrees of difficulty. The competition season is long, the challenges are hard, and our competitive teams are very collaborative in nature. We want to ensure positive experiences for all kids by finding the program and engagement level that matches their interest level. 

To use an analogy for our different programs:

•  🏊 Battle bots is like swimming in the shallow end of the pool

• 🚣 Summer camp is where we enter the deep end

• ⛵ Competitive teams are where we set sail into uncharted waters