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Wolmer's Boys win Sagicor Visionaries Challenge national competition

Published:Wednesday | April 3, 2013 | 12:00 AM
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Ravi Rambarran (left), president & CEO, Sagicor International, presents the second-place trophy to Rajiv Badaloo (second right) and Curtis Moxam of The Manning's School at the national competition of the Sagicor Visionaries Challenge. Maurice O'Connor (teacher) stands in the background. - Contributed photos
Ravi Rambarran, president and CEO, Sagicor International, presents the third place trophy to Loya Haughton of Immaculate Conception High School at the national competition of the Sagicor Visionaries Challenge on Friday, March 22 on the grounds of Sagicor Life Jamaica's head office in New Kingston.
From left: Physics and biology teachers of Wolmer's Boys' School, Elton Robotham and Jasmine Jarrett, are in a celebratory mood as Odaine Lorne holds the winning trophy of the the Sagicor Visionaries Challenge national competition on Friday, March 22. Local coordinator Dr Sheena Francis and Sagicor's manager of sponsorships and public relations, Alysia Moulton White, join in
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Wolmer's Boys' School for Boys emerged winners of the national competition of the Sagicor Visionaries Challenge on Friday, March 22 at Sagicor's head office in New Kingston.

The initiative, in conjunction with the Caribbean Science Foundation and the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC), sees winners from Caribbean territories competing at a regional level.

The Wolmer's Boys' School will be awarded a Vernier Computerised Mobile Science & Technology System and five CXC-approved chemical kits in a matter of days to aid biological and chemical research for their win.

Jasmine Jarrett, biology teacher at Wolmer's Boys, said the concept of the winning team's project 'Electrolyte Making Your Electricity Bill Lighter' was derived from physics teacher Elton Robotham. The 'Electrolyte' is a device used to measure electricity in a user-friendly format which will allow households to monitor consumption, garner price checks and attain customised tips on how their household can conserve energy.

The Challenge

Local coordinator Dr Sheena Francis explained, "The Challenge urges future leaders to identify a challenge facing their respective school and develop effective, innovative and sustainable solutions to eliminate or reduce the challenge identified. Wolmer's won for crafting a novel and useful concept using Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM) as a critical component."

Ingrid Card, assistant vice-president, marketing, Sagicor shared similar sentiments, saying "Science students from high schools across the island exhibited ways that their respective communities could implement solutions that would inevitably improve their immediate surroundings. Sagicor believes in the capacity of our youth to contribute positively to the improvement in the welfare of our people and our country."

The Wolmer's Boys' team, led by Odaine Lorne and coordinating teacher, Elton Robotham, received airfare and accommodation by Sagicor Life Jamaica to move on to the final competition in April,in Barbados, where a regional winner and recipients of sectional prizes will be selected.

Lorne and Robotham will also participate in a seven-day all-expense paid STEM Ambassador Programme in Florida.

Through this programme they will take part in a diverse inquiry-based STEM learning experience at the University of South Florida, the Kennedy Space Center, Disney World's Epcot Center and the Museum of Science and Industry.

Manning's School and Immaculate Conception High School each had two teams. Second runner-up was Immaculate's 'Grey Water Project', whereas 'Bamboo versus Carbon Dioxide', by Manning's School, was awarded first runner-up. Manning's is to receive a Vernier Computerised Mobile Science & Technology System and five chemical kits, and Immaculate will receive 10 chemical kits for their efforts.

Other schools which participated were Clarendon College, DeCarteret College and Waterford High School.

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