Final 5 for Senior Robotics National Team includes 3 young ladies

Aug 28, 2022 News

STEMGuyana on Saturday announced the names of the 2022 Robotics National Team members who will travel to Geneva, Switzerland to represent Guyana in the annual First Global Robotics Competition.

Members of Team Guyana 2022 along with Team Manager Dominic Budhan. From left: Dominic Budhan, Ariel Taylor, Keeland Cummings, Italy Ton-Chung, Lateisha.

Ten members were shortlisted from more than 40 young people who heeded the call to try out for the team.

The first round of evaluations was hosted online. Following that process, 20 were selected for further evaluations and then the semi-final 10 – T’Sehai Holder, Keeland Cummings, Ariel Taylor, Navendra Kumar, Xaria Holder, Lateisha McArthur, Nailah Fordyce, Italy Ton-Chung, Tarico Henryand Zionara Lawrence – were selected.

The shortlisted 10 were required to learn to use the Engineering Design process to work on prototypes of machines. This process required them to collaborate, problem solve, innovate, think critically, speak confidently and communicate their ideas convincingly. Members were also evaluated based on their skill at controlling the robot on the competition floor.

From left: Nailah Fordyce, Lateisha McArthur, Italy Ton-Chung, Zionara Lawrence

The final five members selected to travel to Geneva, Switzerland in October 2022 are Tarico Henry, Ariel Taylor, Lateisha McArthur, Keeland Cummings and Italy Ton-Chung. Keeland and Ariel have been members of STEMGuyana’s Sports Hall STEM club for 4+ years and have competed at the junior IYRC level, while Italy Ton-Chung has contributed to STEMGuyana’s television production of Robin the Robot which airs every Saturday morning on the Learning Channel.

Long time STEMGuyana member, coach, administrator and mentor, Dominic Budhan, will accompany the team as Manager. Three remaining mentors, including former Team Guyana member and Coach Joshua Reece (Technical) and a parent mentor will be recruited to accompany the team.

First Global’s mission is to inspire leadership and innovation in youth from all nations by empowering them through education in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics — also known as STEM.

This year, players will build a robot which will compete against robots created by players representing 180 countries in the world. Past teams representing Guyana have performed creditably in the competition. STEMGuyana Director, Karen Abrams, in an invited comment, said, “The goal of these competitions is really to inspire future STEM leaders in every country, so fundamentally no one really loses these competitions.”

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