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The Cayman Islands National Robotic Team is joining teams from 190 countries at the 2023 FIRST Global Challenge, in Singapore, October 7-10. There they will reimagine the future of energy and the ways in which we power our planet. The Cayman Islands National Robotic Team (the team) will collaborate with thousands of students to highlight the importance of renewable energy and its potential to create a better, more sustainable future.

Members of Cayman’s 2023 team are students from six public and private local high schools: Amiyah Tahal, Triple C School; Joshua Williams, Cayman Prep & High School; Garrison French, Clifton Hunter High School; Sophia Villarin, St. Ignatius Catholic School; Maxwell Clarke, Cayman International School and Isaiah Myles, John Gray High School. Coach Desmond White from John Gray High School and Team Manager Glenda McTaggart from Dart will accompany the students.

The theme for this year’s Global Challenge is “Hydrogen Horizons.” The challenges the teams will face include designing and building a robot from a standard kit of parts and programming it to navigate a simulated world where it is required to produce hydrogen that can be stored and transported, and then converted to energy.

The host country, Singapore, is at the forefront of innovation and sustainability and has demonstrated the importance of increased investments in renewable energy technologies to improve the health of our planet and ensure a cleaner and more equitable energy future.

“We are excited to bring together robotics enthusiasts from Cayman Islands high schools who will have the opportunity to demonstrate their technical skills, programming abilities and teamwork on the world stage in Singapore. The FIRST Global event creates an opportunity to nurture cross-cultural cooperation among youth from around the world and for Cayman’s students to be a part of an exciting global initiative,” said Glenda McTaggart, Dart Senior Education Manager.

Cayman has competed at FIRST Global since 2018, in Mexico City, followed by Dubai in 2019 and Switzerland in 2022. During the pandemic, national teams built a robot and competed in a virtual global competition. She adds, “The 2023 national team is diverse, hardworking, and excited to represent Cayman and I am exceptionally proud of them all.” The Cayman Islands National Robotics Team is part of Dart’s Minds Inspired programme offerings.

Minds Inspired is a Dart initiative that uses innovative and exciting programmes, activities, and awards to encourage Cayman's youth to embrace STEM subjects. It features an annual calendar of activities and events that promote and encourage STEM education in Cayman. For more information about the programme, visit https://mindsinspired.ky/about