Leadership in academics and athletics is a just-right combination for one of our Chick-fil-A “Triple A” athletes, and that is why this week’s spotlight is on Hopkinsville’s Will Knight. Knight is a senior member of the Tiger soccer team, but his accomplishments go long past what he does on the field.
In addition to being captain of the Tiger boys soccer team, he is a scholar in the Engineering Pathway at Gateway Academy to Innovation and Technology. Will is set to graduate in May, and currently has a GPA of 4.234. He serves as a Gateway Academy Ambassador. As an ambassador, Will is responsible for representing Gateway Academy to Innovation & Technology by speaking at community events, leading tours through the facility, recruiting for Gateway Academy programs, and helping to build an excellent culture at the school. This has taught me professionalism and leadership skills.
He was recently announced as a National Merit Scholarship Semifinalist. The scholarship program is in its 67th year and less than 1% of high school students earn this distinction.
In 2021, Will was involved in the Kentucky Governor’s Scholars program. The Governor’s Scholars Program strives to enhance Kentucky’s next generation of civic and economic leaders. Established in 1983, the program provides academic and personal growth through the balance of a strong liberal arts program with a full co-curricular and residential life experience. Students must complete an application and compete with others from across the state. Those selected attend the program free of charge.
He has additionally been involved in the Gifted and Talented program.
At the Gateway Academy to Innovation & Technology, Will had been extensively involved with robotics. He has been the team captain for the VEX Robotics Team 8349K since May of 2018. VEX encourages creativity, teamwork, leadership, and problem solving among groups. Will is also President of the International Robotics Honor Society. He previously served as the Secretary of the International Robotics Honor Society from January 2019 to May 2021.
Will has volunteered at the annual Robotics Camp, helping to teach elementary scholars about VEX.
Will Knight is Vice President of SkillsUSA. SkillsUSA is a partnership of students, teachers, and industry working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce. A nonprofit national education association, SkillsUSA serves middle-school, high-school, and college/postsecondary students preparing for careers in trade, technical and skilled service, including health occupations. SkillsUSA has served 13.6 million annual members cumulatively since 1965 and is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Labor as a successful model of employer-driven workforce development.
In the SkillsUSA 2019 National Leadership & Skills Conference, his team took 2nd place in the Urban Search and Rescue Event competition. Urban Search and Rescue is an event that requires a team of two people to design, build, and program a robot capable of picking up and disposing of ordinances hidden by event directors, but you can only see through a camera mounted on the robot. Will’s role was to program the robot, document in the engineering notebook, and to assist the driver. Second place at a national event is the highest anyone from the school has ever placed in any event. The team took 1st place at the statewide event.
His academic honors include:
2019-2020 Outstanding AP Calculus Scholar
2018-2019 Oustanding Algebra II Scholar
Will’s athletic-related accomplishments include:
Big Impact Award (Freshman year)
Academic Excellence Award (Freshman year)
Silver Boot Award (Sophomore year)
Academic Excellence Award (Sophomore year)
Academic Excellence Award (Junior year)
Will is also an Engineering Intern at Hopkinsville Electric System and attends Hopkinsville Community College part-time.
Will is the son of Mickey and Penny Knight.
Truly, a “Triple A” kind of young man, leader, student, and athlete, Hopkinsville’s Will Knight.
