(LEXINGTON, KY) – Thousands of students showcased technology projects during the 2025 Kentucky Student Technology Leadership Program (STLP) State Championship at Rupp Arena in Lexington on April 23.
Run by the Kentucky Department of Education’s (KDE’s) Office of Education Technology, STLP uses project-based learning, technology utilization and digital content creation to empower student achievement. Education leaders, volunteers and vendor partners help put on the annual championship event.
Below is a collection of scenes from the event. All photos were taken by KDE Information Office Supervisor Joe Ragusa.

A crowd of more than 20,000 people begins to fill Rupp Arena and Central Bank Center in Lexington for the 2025 STLP State Championship

Candy Johnson, an STLP volunteer who works with KDE’s Office of Education Technology, helps an STLP visitor figure out where they’re supposed to go.

Ethan Gibson, a sophomore at the Floyd County School of Innovation, sets up a TV monitor to display his group’s project, using digital technology to showcase the history of women’s basketball in Kentucky. Gibson said he hopes to work in computer science, programming or electrical engineering after college.

Tim Marcum, left, Owen County school district STLP lead, and Adam Gaines, mayor of Owenton and the parent of a student in the district, help setup the Owen County High School STLP project, titled “Sensing the Needs of OC Students.”

Apollo High School (Daviess County) sophomore Elijah Davis, middle, speaks with fellow sophomores Heath Smith, left, and Kassi Hirt while setting up their STLP project, titled “Aerospace Summer Camp.”

A group of students from Second Street Elementary School (Frankfort Independent) pose for a group photo after setting up their STLP project display.

Commissioner of Education Robbie Fletcher speaks with students from Lawrence County High School.

Caroline Onan, left, a 5th-grade student from Bowen Elementary School (Jefferson County) and Marlee Grannis, a 5th-grade student from Hillsboro Elementary School (Fleming County), play the soccer game included in the Robot World exhibit.

Summer Mitchum, a 4th-grade student from Simmons Elementary School (Woodford County), navigates a robot through the off-roading track at Robot World.

Rylee Tyler and Jula Altes, 5th-grade students at Old Mill Elementary School (Bullitt County), play one of the robot mini-golf holes at Robot World as Rylee’s father, Dustin, cheers them on.

Lafayette High School (Fayette County) students present their project, “Compatible Controllers,” to an STLP judge. Senior Nishad Joshi said the project, a series of foot pedals designed so people with disabilities can play video games or access other computer applications without a handheld controller, came about because one of his peers in the class had a physical impairment affecting his hands. “We wanted to come up with a solution that would be more accessible for more people,” he said, “and we came up with this as the most widely-accessible solution.”

KDE STLP Statewide Lead Jeff Sebulsky announces who advanced to the finals of the competition.

Students from Fairdale High School (Jefferson County) react to being named an STLP finalist.

Nyasia Davis, a 4th-grade student at Alex R. Kennedy Elementary (Jefferson County), watches her car race down the track in the Racing for the Future exhibit with STLP volunteers Dan Gorman and Jennifer Devine, both of KDE’s Office of Education Technology.

Erik Beckman, a customer service and accounts coordinator for KET, sets up KET Education’s green screen display, where they teach kids about visual technology.

Luke Hall, left, and Brody Napier, sophomores at the Floyd County School of Innovation, examine their robot during the Robot Cross Out competition. Hall said he plans to pursue engineering in college and participating in the competition helped him learn about his strengths and weaknesses. “It’s a good thing to learn what you’re good at, what you’re not good at, if you’re good at coding, or if you’re good at building; just get a feel for it,” he said.

Judah Owens, left, and Noah Goodin, 5th-grade students at G.C. Burkhead Elementary School (Hardin County), watch their robot follow the path in the Robot Royale: Follow the Line competition. “We were coding robots to go across the line using the color sensor and it was really fun,” Owens said. “And we ran pretty fast.”

Students from Monroe County Middle School – from left, 6th-grader Levi Burge, 8th-grader Jaxon Jones, 7th-grader Knox McClendon and 6th-grader Korbin Case – explain their entry in the LEGO STEAM Superpower! competition. Jones said they built a robot with LEGO pieces to show how coal can be extracted from mines safely, adding to his interest of working in coal mine engineering. “Hopefully we have these types of things to help us out,” he said.
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