The Philadelphia School District and the College of Engineering are partners in the Boosting Engineering, Science and Technology-Robotics (BEST) Competition. BEST is a non-profit, volunteer organization whose mission is to inspire students to pursue careers in engineering, science and technology through participation in a sports-like, science and engineering based, robotics competition.

Graduate and undergraduate students from the College of Engineering visit Philadelphia High schools to help students prepare for the BEST Robotics Competition each week.

In 2006, almost two dozen Robotics educators, from the School District of Philadelphia (SDP), converged at Villanova University's Center for Engineering Education and Research (CEER) to take part in an AT&T sponsored three-day computer-aided design workshop. While on campus, the workshop participants were taught many useful tips and tricks of SolidWorks software to enhance the machine design experience of their middle and high school students. “Design is the medium through which creativity is realized”, says Velda Morris, Robotics Education Specialist for the SDP/Hub Director for Philadelphia Boosting Engineering Science and Technology (BEST).