Greenville, TX – August 2025 – The Greenville High School Iron Lions Solar Car Team is making history on the global stage. The students are the only high school team competing in this year’s prestigious Bridgestone World Solar Car Challenge in Australia – a competition typically dominated by universities.
The World Solar Car Challenge, held every two years, brings together some of the top engineering students from around the world to design, build, and race solar-powered vehicles across the Australian Outback. While high school teams have participated in past years, the Iron Lions are the only high school students in the world to take on the challenge in 2025. Competing in the Challenger Class with their car, Aurora, the team has already captured international attention and respect.
Months of preparation led to this moment. To make the competition deadline, the team had to finish and ship Aurora in May, nearly two months earlier than usual, sending it on a 60-day voyage across the ocean to arrive in Australia by early August. While teachers Trevor and Christi McNellis joined the group to help students keep up with schoolwork during the trip, team sponsors Joel Pitts, George Kroncke, and Lucas Kiowski traveled ahead of the students to receive the shipment and scout the race route.
The community proudly sent the students off on August 7, complete with an escort through Greenville by the Greenville ISD Police Department and the Greenville Police Department. After three flights, three days of travel, and a 14-hour time difference, the Iron Lions finally arrived in Darwin, Australia. Their first night abroad included a traditional Australian dinner with live music — and a practical stop at a local store to pick up toiletries to last them through the weeks long trip.
When the students reunited with Aurora, they were relieved to find the car in excellent condition after its long journey. With only a few minor adjustments needed, the Iron Lions began preparing for scrutineering—the rigorous technical inspections required before the competition begins. What makes the Iron Lions’ work remarkable is the level at which they are competing. These are high school students tackling challenges usually reserved for top-tier engineering universities: building their own solar arrays by hand, problem-solving under pressure, and standing toe-to-toe with world-renowned collegiate teams. In fact, the students missed the first day of the 2025–2026 school year to compete — but thanks to the McNellises traveling with them, they’re still actively learning in the midst of this once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Other teams, including those from the Netherlands, Switzerland, Canada, Australia, and the University of Minnesota, have been quick to visit the Iron Lions’ garage, offering praise and encouragement. “It was a sight to behold for the three of us,” said team sponsor Lucas Kiowski. “Greenville, Texas, you should be proud of these students! They worked diligently with only minor direction and really looked like the awesome solar car team we know they are. Other teams took notice, and our kids held their own in those conversations. I think it was a great boost for our students to get positive feedback from these teams they’ve been reading so much about. They now know that they belong here.”
The Iron Lions have also impressed international teams with their craftsmanship. A Japanese team, surprised to learn that every member of the Iron Lions is a high school student, called their accomplishment extraordinary. Students have even been connecting with teams from around the world through Google Translate — swapping stories, trading advice, and building friendships across language barriers.
Team captains Nicholas Gonzalez and Ethan Kiowski, both 16, were even interviewed by ABC Radio in Australia. Ethan, who celebrated his 16th birthday during the trip, is officially the
youngest driver in the history of the World Solar Car Challenge. Listen to their interview here.
The Iron Lions are now progressing through scrutineering and gearing up for the official competition, which begins August 24. The event will send teams across the Australian Outback from Darwin to Adelaide, a journey of more than 1,800 miles powered solely by the sun.
The Greenville ISD community is cheering these students on each step of the way, as they are proving to the world that high schoolers from Greenville, Texas can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with some of the best engineering students in the world.
To follow the Iron Lions’ journey, visit their Facebook page, Instagram(@IronLionsRacing), or the official World Solar Challenge website.
Greenville ISD's Aurora Vehicle in Australia