Beau Vallon secondary students to take part in robotic competition |08 May 2017

Six students from Beau Vallon secondary school will be taking part the First Global Challenge 2017 competition in Washington, DC this July.

First Global organises a yearly international robotics challenge to ignite a passion for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) in the youth.

The First Global Challenge is an international robotics event where students from more than 100 nations across the world will travel to take part in the inaugural game that will be held in a different nation’s capital each year.

The students from Beau Vallon secondary school – Damian Ernesta, Stana Mousbé, Anil Buron, Frazer Nalletamby, Nellie Azemia, Shana Banane – aged between 16 and 18 who are also part of the science, technology and innovation club, have the privilege to be the first Seychelles team to take part in this event.

Team Seychelles received a robot kit from the International First Committee Association (IFCA), based in Washington through the National Institute for Science, Technology and Innovation (Nisti) and they are now well into the preparation for the challenge.

Present during the handover ceremony held recently at the Nisti headquarters were the chief executive of Nisti Xavier Estico, Beau Vallon school deputy head teacher Garry Nanty, the students and members of Nisti.

Nisti is facilitating the team as much as possible as mentors as well as with internet access for the students to be able to make Skype calls to the experts at First Global.

They are also being mentored by science teacher Kevin Dupres who will also be accompanying them to the states for the seven days.

Mr Estico stated that this generation is the generation of the future and there are so many global challenges that will affect the future.

“Throughout history, science, technology and innovation has always been involved in solving problems and this challenge provides these students the opportunity to be part of a community of young science leaders. It’s merely the beginning and I hope through that initiative they can take the message into the school for others to see that science is relevant to solving problems,” he said.

He also expressed the need for STEM education to be rekindled in schools.

“There will be more opportunities because Nisti’s target is to have a science, technology and innovation club in each school and furthermore we want to enrich the quality of the science fairs through the clubs  but we need support from the parents as well as the community,” he said.

Mr Nanty said the team are up to assembling and testing the robot and the time they have is very limited.

“The team should be in Washington one week prior to the competition so they will leave around July 15,” he said.

He said this year’s theme focuses on access to water.

“They have to design a robot that will be multi-functional and do various tasks in relation to water issues but they will not be doing this alone, they will be able to collaborate with other teams and additional mentors for help as this is not only a competition but also a learning experience as well,” he said.

He said he is proud of the students and the school to be the first selected and the idea is to show that Seychelles is not just a dot on the map even if they do not come out in the highest ranks.

One of the students, Nellie Azemia, who feels privileged to be taking part in this event, said girls are rarely seen taking up these challenges.

“It means everything to me, and I would encourage others to have an interest in technology to change the world. I believe that if we work united as a team we can change the world,” she said.

She also expressed her gratitude on behalf of the team to all those who have made this possible for them.

“Our passion is to come together as one and the energy we create as one allows us to achieve our individual as well as group goals,” she said.