Jamaica College won the Jamaica National Robotics competition at the inaugural national robotics championships hosted by First Tech Challenge Jamaica (FTC) March 9 and 9, 2019 at the college’s Karl Hendrickson Auditorium. FTC is a nonprofit organization based in the United States and seeks to provide young people with opportunities to participate in programs designed to motivate them to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and math, while enhancing their self-confidence knowledge, and life skills. The initiative in Jamaica is headed by Edward “Teddy” Alexander, chair of the Advisory Board of FTC Jamaica.

In the competition, teams of seven members each and comprising teens aged 12 to 18 from 18 high schools from across Jamaica and the Caribbean region design, build, pogram, and operate robots in a competitive floor game. Adult coaches guide the teams in developing STEM skills, use engineering principles and learn the value of hard work, innovation, an how to share ideas.

As the winning Jamaican team, Jamaica College will go on to compete in the FIRST Tech Challenge World Championships in Houston, Texas, on April 17-20, 2019.

The following are the results of the FTC National Robotics Championships

Inspire Award – 1st Place (Jamaica College – 1st Team 3981)

Inspire Award – 2nd Place (Immaculate Conception – Team 15060)

Inspire Award – 3rd Place (Calabar High – Team 15059)

Think Award (Immaculate Conception – Team 15060)

Connect Award (Jamaica College – 2nd Team 6899)

Innovate Award (Ardenne High – Team 16044)

Design Award (Cayman International – Team 14838)

Motivate Award (Merlgrove High – Team 16079)

Judges Award (St. Andrew Technical – Team 16081)

In the Champion Robots category, the winners were JC (1st Team 3981) / Cayman International Alliance won 2-0 in best-of-three Final over Calabar / St. Jago Alliance.