Gainesville’s Lakeview Academy gains honors for its rob…

Gainesville’s Lakeview Academy has recently been honored by a global nonprofit robotics community for its work and programs in the robotics field.

FIRST recently named Lakeview as one of only ten schools nationwide to receive recognition for their, “Inspire the Future” program.  Lakeview’s head of school, John Simpson says in a recent press release, “This recogntion reinforces Lakeview’s dedication to fostering innovation and technological literacy among its students beginning in lower school through upper school.  It is a testament to the schools commitment to introducing technology and robotics to students of all ages.”

Mikhail Lovell, Lakeview’s Technology Director and Robotics Coach said, “We are immensely proud of our students’ accomplishments in both eSports and robotics. These successes underscore Lakeview Academy’s desire to empower today’s students with the skills and knowledge needed to thrive in an ever-evolving technological landscape.”

FIRST recognized the innovation of Lakeview Academy by mentioning their integrating robotics programs such as FIRST LEGO League and FIRST Tech Challenge, beginning in third grade. The school’s competitive teams have excelled with numerous awards and even a World Championship appearance by the varsity FIRST Tech Challenge team in 2023. This year, the Mario Kart eSports team capped off an outstanding season by clinching 2nd place in the highly competitive PlayVS Eastern Region against over 100 teams from Canada to Florida.

The release from Lakeview also recognized that vver the last five years, they have graduated 25 students who participated in the innovation program, whether in robotics, programming, engineering, or computer science. Graduates include a founder of a drone company as well as those completing degrees in aerospace engineering or pursuing careers in cybersecurity.