Jamaica Hosts Inaugural FIRST LEGO League Competition on May 27, 2023

Written By Lesleyann Samuel

On a balmy Saturday, at Mona Heights campus of the University of the West Indies in Kingston, Jamaica, the inaugural staging of the FIRST LEGO League Competition was held.  Organized by FIRST Technology Challenge Jamaica (the authorized FIRST representative for the Caribbean), nine (9) primary schools from across the island participated in the event and were judged for their performance in the robot game, in  robot design and for overall performance including teamwork and innovation.

Seven of the nine participating primary (elementary) schools were sponsored by their alumni associations in the USA who are members of the Union of Jamaican Alumni Associations (USA) Inc. (UJAA).  One additional school was directly sponsored by UJAA.

Three awards were presented at the close of the day’s events to:

§  Beulah All-Age and Infant School (Parish of Clarendon) who received the Champions Award. They displayed exceptional teamwork and showed great innovation in their presentation to judges. They not only did well on the field (Robot Performance) but was also a top contender for the Robot Design Award.

§  Pike Primary and Infant school (Manchester) who received the Robot Game Performance Award. They demonstrated an outstanding performance in the robot game and received the most points on the field. Their robot was able to complete the tasks efficiently and flawlessly, showcasing their expertise in programming and engineering.

§  Shortwood Practising Primary and Infant School (Kingston) who received the Robot Design Award. They were recognized for their outstanding robot design. Their robot was not only functional but also aesthetically appealing. Their attention to detail and innovative approach to design were truly remarkable. The other nominees were: Operation Restoration Christian School & Newday Primary.

 

UJAA has been on the forefront of robotics in Jamaica since 2009. To us, the support of STEM education in general, and robotics in particular, is a way to equip our young people with the skills they need to succeed in the 21st century. 

We look forward to a significant increase in the FLL Jamaica program in the coming years, and to their participation in Robotics & turkey Conference in November 2023!

View the Opening Program here:

https://www.youtube.com/live/W9ejn9lLZJ8?feature=share

 

Lesleyann Samuel

Lesleyann Samuel is well known to all in the Greater New York Jamaican Diaspora and in particular in the alumni community having served as the President of the Union of Jamaican Alumni Associations (USA) Inc. (UJAA) from 2014 to 2022. During her short tenure, UJAA’s membership grew from 32 member organizations to over 60. A leader of vision and passion, she focused on developing the programs of the Union, enhancing Brand-UJAA, establishing UJAA as a stakeholder with various education organizations in Jamaica, including the National Education Inspectorate, enhancing the effectiveness of the member organizations, and collaborating with other alumni umbrella groups around the globe.

With over 30 years of leadership experience in several non-profit organizations, Lesleyann has been active in the alumnae association of her alma mater – Immaculate Conception High School, St. Andrew, Jamaica for several years and currently serves as the Assistant Treasurer of the New York Chapter. She was instrumental in the introduction of robotics as an extracurricular activity at Immaculate in 2012 which led to their involvement in the FIRST® Global Challenge competitions in Washington DC in 2017, Mexico City in 2018, Dubai in 2019 and Geneva in 2022. In March 2022, Lesleyann co-chaired the Jamaica Diaspora Education Taskforce 7th Advancement in Education Summit in partnership with Marymount Manhattan College and the Jamaica Teachers’ Association. The Summit brought 60 educators and administrators to New York City for a week of “virtual” tours, workshops, panel discussions and breakout “reflection” sessions.

Lesleyann has been employed in various leadership capacities in the telecommunications sector for the past 35+ years, and since 2001, has been an adjunct professor with University of Maryland Global Campus in the Business Management department. She currently teaches Organizational Leadership.

In recognition of her deep commitment to serving others and giving forward, Lesleyann has been the recipient of numerous awards over the years including the Consul General’s Heritage Award 2018 from the Consulate General of Jamaica New York, in recognition of “outstanding and dedicated service to the community.”

Lesleyann holds M.Sc. in Electrical Engineering – Technology Management from the University of Pennsylvania, and a B.Sc. in Computer Science and Management from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

She is the proud mom to son, Nicholas who lives and works in southern California.

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