Hands-on Learning Takes Knox County Students to World Robotics Stage

South-Doyle High and L&N STEM Academy will represent Knox County Schools on the global stage at the FIRST Robotics World Championship in Houston, competing alongside nearly 600 teams from around the world!

Each season, students are given a new challenge and just weeks to bring a robot to life. “From then we had the time to develop our robot, test everything and machine it and program it,” South-Doyle High senior Annamarie Walker said.

Once competition begins, teams enter fast-paced qualification matches where performance determines ranking and advancement into alliance selections and playoffs.

Through that process, students say robotics becomes a powerful form of hands-on learning that helps them discover postsecondary pathways. “It really helps with figuring out what you might want to do after high school,” said South-Doyle High senior Eduardo Garduño Martinez. “You get a lot more hands-on experience than in a classroom, especially in engineering, electrical, and computer science.”

At L&N STEM Academy, that learning often requires adaptability under pressure. After early competitions, the team made the decision to completely rebuild their robot. “We had to evaluate the scope of what we could realistically accomplish,” said L&N STEM senior Carson Eaton. “It ended up being a decision that paid off for us in the end.”

Across both programs, students also emphasize the culture of collaboration. “We’re not trying to beat each other down,” said South-Doyle High junior Ezekiel Angelo. “That’s what gracious professionalism is for—lifting each other up and learning from other teams by seeing different ideas and designs in action.”

South-Doyle High robotics instructor Katie Devinney said accessibility is central to the program, along with student growth. “I’ve watched students grow from quiet, unsure freshmen into confident leaders who can present, problem-solve, and work at a professional level,” she said.

That work is supported through Knox County School’s 865 Academies initiative, which connects students to career pathways through hands-on learning experiences like robotics, giving them real-world exposure to engineering, teamwork, and industry skills.

As both teams head to Houston, they bring more than machines—they bring experience, confidence, and a commitment to learning by doing!