ST. LOUIS (AP) — About 29,000 students are participating in a prestigious robotics competition hosted in downtown St. Louis.

Students from 40 countries and all 50 states will begin the For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology competition Thursday. The 3-day competition includes hundreds of matches and presentations for K-12 students.

Groups of students in grades seven through twelve will be given a problem to solve as well as a box of parts, motors, sensors and gears. They’ll design, build and program a robot to take on various tasks on a game table or court.

Another competition gives kindergarten through eighth-grade students a real-world problem to solve. This year’s theme is solid waste.

The competition is in its 26th year.