A Canvas engineer’s mentorship helps students turn hard work and innovation into a trip to the FIRST Championship.

Students, mentors, and robotics teams from across the country gathered earlier this spring for the Rocket City Regional, transforming the Von Braun Center into a fast-paced competition environment filled with innovation, teamwork, and problem-solving.

Among the competitors was the Niceville High School robotics team, the “Radioactive Roaches,” led by Canvas engineer Austin Schmitz, who is based in Niceville, Florida. Outside of his role at Canvas, Austin volunteers his time to mentor and coach the team, guiding students through the design, build, and competition process.

Each team designed and built a 115-pound robot capable of scoring foam balls and executing a coordinated lift at the end of each match. In just a few weeks, students worked through engineering challenges, system integration, and real-time troubleshooting, gaining hands-on experience that mirrors the type of collaboration and technical problem-solving used across engineering environments.

The team’s performance at the Rocket City Regional earned them a spot at the FIRST Championship, one of the largest and most competitive robotics events in the world. Now, the Radioactive Roaches are competing in Houston against top teams from across the globe.

Several members of the Canvas team attended the competition in Huntsville to cheer them on and see the students’ hard work in action. Watching the team compete firsthand highlighted the impact that mentorship and hands-on learning can have on developing future engineers and innovators.

Austin’s commitment to mentoring students reflects the kind of leadership that strengthens communities and helps build the future workforce. Programs like robotics competitions give students the opportunity to apply technical skills, work as a team, and gain real-world experience that prepares them for careers in science, engineering, and technology.

As the team competes on the world stage, the Canvas team is cheering them on and looking forward to seeing what they accomplish next.