Empowering the Next Generation: Inside Tennessee Robotics Center

What began as a few kids building LEGOs in a garage, has grown into one of Middle Tennessee’s most impactful hands‑on engineering education programs.

Tennessee Robotics Center was founded after Michael Puckett’s oldest child asked to start a robotics club at a time when youth robotics opportunities in the region were limited. The first team met in a garage, working with LEGO robotics kits through FIRST LEGO League. That small group of eight students quickly sparked something bigger. Year after year, interest grew—transforming a neighborhood club into a structured program focused on engineering thinking, innovation, and confidence building.

Teaching Students to Think Like Engineers

At its core, Tennessee Robotics Center uses robotics, coding, drones, aerospace, and rocketry to teach students how to think like engineers. Participants learn the engineering design process through hands‑on experience—problem identification, iteration, testing, and refinement—while developing the mindset needed to solve complex challenges.

Students are encouraged to take risks, test ideas, and learn from experience in a supportive environment. TRC embraces their mantra “you learn best by failing and you fail forward,” where difficulties or roadblocks are seen as a critical step toward growth. Mentors guide rather than solve, allowing students to develop autonomy, resilience, and confidence as they work through challenges.

Real Roles, Real Responsibility

From mechanical design and coding to documentation, testing, and project management, students take on real roles throughout the engineering process. As they progress through the program, leadership responsibilities increase—preparing them not only for technical careers, but also for collaboration, communication, and decision‑making in professional environments.

This approach paid off in a major way during a recent competition season. One of the team’s biggest challenges involved integrating advanced sensor technology and computer vision into a competition robot. Students developed a system that could calculate distance to a goal in real time and automatically adjust shooter speed—even while being pushed by opposing robots. Through iterative testing and refinement, the system helped triple the robot’s performance, increasing output from three balls to nine balls in just 30 seconds. 

More Than Skills—A Shared Value System

While technical fluency is critical, Tennessee Robotics Center places equal emphasis on personal growth. Students are guided by a core value system known as Together We Rise, which focuses on:

• Respect

• Integrity

• Service

• Excellence

These values are reinforced daily through teamwork, accountability, and real‑world application. Students leave the program with more than technical skills, they develop self‑leadership, critical thinking, resilience, and a strong sense of responsibility.

One of the most powerful aspects of the program is its mentorship model. Many mentors are former students who progressed through the program and later returned to support the next generation.

The Power of Community and Industry Support

Industry and community sponsorship plays an essential role in the program’s sustainability and growth. Support provides access to professional‑grade tools, advanced technology, and competition opportunities that mirror real engineering environments. More importantly, it helps students envision themselves as future engineers—connecting classroom learning to real‑world possibilities.

Sponsorship isn’t just about funding. It’s an investment in the next generation of problem solvers, innovators, and leaders. 

Looking to the Future

Tennessee Robotics Center continues to expand its vision through its new Constellation curriculum, its structured roadmap guiding students from kindergarten through high school. Future plans include remote learning, recorded lessons, hybrid classes, and a digital content studio, allowing the program to reach students well beyond its physical location.

Guided by NASA’s philosophy, “Dare Mighty Things,” Tennessee Robotics Center believes engineering education should be accessible, intentional, and inspiring. By equipping students with tools, mindset, and confidence to tackle complex challenges, the program is preparing them not just for the future of engineering—but for leadership, innovation, and lifelong learning.