Coach Woods

Coach Woods is an inspiration to everyone in Lovejoy Robotics. Her hard work and dedication to her students has contributed to building the program from a mere two teams in 2018 to a large program that qualified multiple teams to the VEX World Championships in 2022. Coach Woods excels in all her roles at Lovejoy including STEM teacher, mentor, and coach. She prepares her students so well that many choose to become more involved in the school’s robotics program. Besides her teaching, a large part of the organization's success has come from Coach Woods's personal involvement beyond the classroom. Whether it means staying extra hours at the lab, reading through engineering notebooks, or offering team specific support, Coach Woods is always giving her best for her students. She is also a strong advocate and supporter of women in robotics and STEM fields in general. She is constantly encouraging females to join the program and has even helped form our school’s first all-girl VEX teams. Outside of VEX, Coach Woods also inspires many young women to explore fields and careers that are typically dominated by men. Recently, we were informed of Coach Woods's cancer diagnosis. Although this means she will be temporarily absent, she is determined to overcome cancer and return to doing what she loves most: inspiring and supporting her students.