Education lifts society

“Competitions like this help that to happen,” he added, addressing the First Lego League National Championship at Bishop Anstey High School East/Trinity College East, Trincity.

Some 10 teams from across the country undertook “co-opertition” (that is cooperation mixed with competition) to use computer programmes to manoeuvre their robotic devices around an obstacle course and perform simple mechanical tasks involving scenarios of animal welfare, such as fitting a prosthetic leg onto a horse.

Garcia said that in a fun and exciting way the students had learnt key insights into the growing field of STEM - Science, Technology, Engineering and Math.

“You are the pioneers and have set the bar.” He said the event motivated the youngsters to pursue STEM, and build their self-confidence and lifeskills, in a project that was taught in a fun, dynamic and problem-solving manner.

NIHERST president Sylvia Lalla hailed robotics as “sports for the mind”.

Tournament organiser, Mark Mc Combs, of the Florida-based non-profit group, Renaissance Jax, hailed all participants as winners. “You are winning, in ways you will not yet realise.

All of Trinidad and Tobago is winning. It means a lot to see young people doing extraordinary things.” Going even further than telling the youngsters to think outside the box, Mc Combs said, “There is no box. You can create your own box.” He repeated advice that he had once heard as a teenager meeting Google co-founder Sergey Brin. “Each one of you has the same opportunity to have the idea that will change the world.” Shell engineer Monifa Graham told the youngsters that STEM studies lead to many career paths.

Wepala Team X was adjudged the Most Rounded Team, and the youngest, and will represent TT at the world finals in Houston, Texas, in April. North Gate College Aristos won the Core Values Award.

Palo Seco Secondary School won the Robotic Design Award. Trinity College East Robo Hawks won best Research Project. Best Robotoc Performance went to the SCRATTCP NIHERST Tech Club.

The event was arranged by NIHESRT, the Education Ministry and Shell oil company utilising devices supplied by Lego.