Creators of technology

The desire to make TT a “safer and better place” was the overriding idea behind the app (software application) that propelled Chaguanas North Secondary School to first place in the Caribbean Industrial Research Institute (Cariri) Young Innovators Mobile App competition (YIMAC).

Nine other secondary schools participated in the competition held at the Centre for Enterprise Development, Innovation Avenue, Freeport on November 9.

The winning app is called the Geographic Location Accessories Marker 99 or GLAM 99 and can be used to locate or confirm the location of people. The app uses radio ID chips or nano technology which can be embedded in jewellery or other personal items. Due to a clause in an agreement with one of the competition’s sponsors, the app itself cannot be discussed as it is scheduled for development by the sponsor.

Sponsors include Novo Media, Massy Technologies, Blue Waters, Kiss bakery and Bermudez.

The all-girls team included Sha'uri Gordon, 15, Seanelle Regis, 16, and Tineil Sahadath, 16, and IT teachers Belinda Haynes-Gordon and Tiffany Ali.

Gordon, who is in Form 5, said she was “very excited and very ecstatic” about the win, which encouraged her to become a “creator of technology and not always a consumer” of technology.

“I feel accomplished and I want to be and know better.”

Regis, who is in Form 4, said one of the girls used in a picture in their presentation had disappeared without a trace and this had “hit home to her’ about security and safety.

“I am very happy, the competition was intense but through God, we stood together and we conquered it. There is a lot of crime and missing girls, and one of the stories hit home for me and I said we have to do something to make a change.”

Sahadath, also in Form 5, echoed Regis’s explanation saying her desire is for a safer TT.

“I am so excited that we won this competition. We chose this app because I am very curious and I want to make TT a safer place and better place for our young people. It took about three months to come up with everything and at first we were nervous during our presentation but after we settled down, it was good.”

Haynes-Gordon said they were “very elated and proud” of the girls and the effort they had put into their presentation. “It was long competition and they had to do a lot of background research, so we are also proud for the school.”

Novo Media representative Raees Rahim described the judging as “tough”, as every school had good ideas for their apps.

“The students were confident with what they were presenting and how they presented it and it really just came down to which team had the idea that had that little edge. But they were all excellent.”

And what gave Chaguanas Secondary the edge?

“They understood, first and foremost, the tough technical problem they were trying to solve and they understood how to articulate it to the judges," Rahim said. "They came up with a solution that was sustainable, technically profound and they understood how to implement it.”

He said the sustainability of the application is also important even if it is not a revenue generating app.

“You need money sometimes to upkeep servers. Sustainability of the application is key, one of the key elements are sustainability measures.

Cariri ICT programme lead Hayden Charles said ICT is one of the economic development pillars as the world is currently in the information age. Cariri believes ICT is an essential component to students which can inspire creative thinking and encourage the development of skills that would prove invaluable. He said over 50 schools had submitted their ideas for an innovative mobile apps which could “potentially solve an issue currently existing in their school, community or nationwide".

“We are pleased to note that 54 per cent of the ideas submitted were in the education category with the remainder as follows, 15 per cent healthcare, 12 per cent culture and tourism, ten per cent infrastructure and transport, seven per cent environment and two per cent agriculture respectively.”

The first prize included the building and commercialisation of the mobile application, a technology donation of 1 HP desktop computer, inclusive of monitor, keyboard and mouse, to the school, a champion trophy and prizes for team participants.