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