The competition gave students the opportunity to share with the community just how their students are excelling in STEM and Robotics in our local schools.

For the first time in two years, Hamilton County students put their skills in robotics to the ultimate test on Saturday - competing in the LEGO First League Challenge Competition.

It was the first year back since the pandemic began.

Fifteen local schools were expected to join in the competition.

TVA was invited to welcome the students back to the robotic competition and let the community see just how their students are excelling in STEM/Robotics in our local schools.

Hamilton County Schools Teacher Scoot Rosenow cofounded Tennessee Valley Robotics. He says this was the perfect opportunity for students to test their problem-solving skills.

They were challenged this year to devise a way of helping make shipping of goods and materials better, safer, more timely...and in the midst of the pandemic where all of our goods are stuck somewhere off of the coast or at ports, there were a lot of good ideas out there for them to choose from."

CSLA student Aahil Bhagyaraj was one of those who participated.

"Robotics is a category of computer science I'm pretty sure and so you can tell the robot to do different things. You can make it track a line, you can make it lower an arm. it's just so fascinating why stuff happens and how you can control different things."

As a first-time competitor, 5th grader Audrey McBrayer says they were excited to show off what they created.

Robots aren't the only thing Rosenow says kids are building through the program and participating in robotics competitions.

Hamilton County Board Member James Walker says he hopes it is something the district can work to expand to all the schools in the county and prepare students early for a workforce high in demand - especially with opportunities like Volkswagon right in our hometown.

Tennessee Valley Robotics covered all costs associated with participating.

Rosenow says they want to encourage STEM and Robotics in education across the seven-state region.

Today was a regional qualifier so the next step for winners would be advancing to the Worlds Competition in Dallas, Texas in April of next year.