Brightstar’s Coding & Robotics Rock! Camp Is Equipping the Next Generation of Innovators

In the small computer room at the Cotton Tree Foundation, five students huddle in tense silence as one of them carefully reconnects the leg of the mini robot on the desk in front of them.

“Miss, he needed surgery!” one student declares with a relieved laugh, when they can finally lower their tools and proudly watch their robot perform as programmed.

Building robots and conducting surgery are both on the cards for 18-year-old Marc Toussaint, who plans on becoming a doctor. Fresh from completing his first year of CSEC exams, Marc has returned to Cotton Tree Foundation for Level II of the Brightstar Coding and Robotics Rock! Camp, having completed the first level last year, said a media release.

Thanks to the fully sponsored camp, Marc is one of five Level II students based at the Cotton Tree Foundation diving into complex concepts such as artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and real-world robotics. The students are joined by 17-year-old camp supervisor, Dominic Baptiste, who has a deep passion for the subject and travels from Sangre Grande to St Ann’s each day for the two-week camp.

Developed in partnership with the Mona Geoinformatics Institute (MGI) at UWI’s Mona Campus, the camp’s curriculum is delivered virtually to all 70 participating students from Brightstar’s After School Advantage (ASA) centres in five Caribbean countries: Jamaica, St Kitts, St. Maarten, TT and the US Virgin Islands, the release said.

All of the campers agree – the best part of the experience has been building their robot. Marc shared, “This is the first time I have ever built a robot. In Level I of the camp, we were focused on HTML coding and building our website, so getting to use my hands and interact with other students to build the robot has been a lot of fun.”

Dominic added, “There were a lot of little things we had to figure out along the way because of all the moving parts that go into the structure and then programming how it moves and interacts. It was different from anything I have done before in computer science class.”

One of their most challenging moments? Troubleshooting when their robot didn’t work as expected. Dominic recalls how their group had finished the first half of the robot before realising the wires were all different lengths.

“We’d already finished both arms, and we only realised when we got to the legs that we had to take it all apart, check everything, and then put it back together! At the time, we couldn’t laugh about it like we’re laughing now.”

The feeling when it was finally complete? “Relief!” says Marc, laughing. “It was frustrating at times, but now we have a fully operating robot, and that feels great.”

While the camp offered hands-on technical training, it also honed soft skills such as collaboration and resilience, the release said.

“We had to emphasise teamwork and cooperation above all else,” said Dominic. “Each person was capable of doing this alone, but we had to figure out the teamwork that would be necessary for building even greater projects in the future.”

Marc also noted the value in interacting with the tutors from MGI in Jamaica and students from around the Caribbean – even though communication across different dialects proved tricky.

“I am going into a field where I’ll be working with a lot of people, so dealing with language differences and different personalities, those are things I have to get used to.”

Now, both young men see their dreams with renewed clarity – armed with powerful new tools. For Marc, the fusion of science and technology has deepened his interest in medicine and medical innovation.

“What we did here has left an impact on me. This camp has been a stepping stone for me to move forward in my career plans,” he said.

Likewise, for Dominic, the experience has affirmed his path forward. He’s always wanted to become a computer engineer, but “the biggest concern as I approach the tertiary level is, am I making the right decision? Now I am a lot more sure. Especially having built this robot, I know I want to go into a robotics field where I am using my hands as much as possible.”

From learning to build robots to imagining AI-powered solutions for their communities, Marc and Dominic are returning for their final year of secondary school with new confidence and purpose, the release said.

The Coding & Robotics Rock! Camp is a cornerstone of Brightstar’s philanthropic mission, and through immersive experiences like this, the company is empowering Caribbean youth not just to consume technology – but to create it.

For more info visit www.brightstarlottery.com