Students represent Jamaica at Robotics Olympics

An eight-member Jamaican robotics team is representing the island in South Korea at the 10th staging of the FIRST® Global Challenge, also known as the First Global Robotics Olympics, which starts today in Incheon and runs through Saturday.

Competing as Team Jamaica Robotics, the delegation continues Jamaica’s growing presence in international youth robotics competition.

The co-ed delegation comprises students, coaches and a chaperone from the American International School of Kingston, Immaculate Conception High School, Knox College, St Andrew High School for Girls, and Wolmer’s Boys’ School.

The coaching team is led by Marc-Anthony Eaton and Orville Daley of Jamaica College. They believe the selected team is strong, confident and ready to represent Jamaica while upholding the FIRST® spirit of gracious professionalism.

This year’s host city, Incheon, has adopted the theme ‘Igniting Innovation’, with a focus on wildfire prevention, mitigation and recovery. UJAA President Donovan Wilson said he firmly believes that “the organisation’s commitment is rooted in the belief that this experience can be life-changing for students, giving them exposure to real-world challenges and the opportunity to help shape solutions for the future”.

For the United States-based non-profit Union of Jamaican Alumni Associations (USA) Inc (UJAA), the event also marks 10 years of sponsoring Jamaica’s team and supporting students as they compete on the global stage.

Last October, Team Jamaica overcame significant travel delays caused by Hurricane Melissa and still made it to Panama to compete. After two days of alliance-based competition with teams from around the world, Team Jamaica demonstrated courage, resilience and skill, ultimately earning a third-place finish.

According to Wilson, the organisation remains committed to providing Jamaican high-school students with a unique opportunity to learn, compete and represent the island internationally.

“Support from alumni members connected to the participating schools helps to make this opportunity possible for the team. However, financial support remains a challenge,” he said.

The Union of Jamaican Alumni Associations (USA) Inc is an umbrella organisation of alumni associations committed to supporting education, service and community development initiatives that benefit Jamaica and the Jamaican diaspora.

About the participants

Niara Cooper, a sixth-form student at St Andrew High School for Girls, is serving as deputy spokesperson and a programmer on Team Jamaica Robotics. Although this is her first year in robotics, she has been actively involved in STEM since 2024. After the competition, she hopes to join her school’s FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) team and contribute to programming, engineering and outreach initiatives. Cooper hopes to pursue a career in biomedical engineering and enjoys dancing, swimming, art, and learning new things.

Kayleigh Fullerton, a sixth-form student at Immaculate Conception High School, serves as Team Jamaica’s chief programmer. Involved in robotics since 2021, she is also deputy lead programmer on her school’s robotics team. Fullerton has a passion for STEM education and enjoys sharing her knowledge with younger students. Her hobbies include crocheting, reading, and gaming.

Emil McCarthy, an upper-sixth student at Wolmer’s Boys’ School, is the lead engineer for both Team Jamaica Robotics and his school’s robotics team. He has been involved in robotics since 2023 and credits his interest in STEM for fostering his curiosity and drive for innovation. Outside robotics, McCarthy enjoys playing lacrosse and football and cooking.

Jamoui Miller, a sixth-form student at Knox College, is participating in his first year of robotics. As an engineer on the national team, he is responsible for designing, building and testing various components of the robot. Miller is also co-captain of his school’s FTC team and helped establish the robotics club there. He developed an interest in STEM, particularly robotics, from an early age, and enjoys playing the guitar and singing.

Alaina Brown, a sixth-form student at St Andrew High School for Girls, serves as captain of Team Jamaica Robotics and also captains her school’s robotics team. Involved in robotics since 2025, Brown has a strong interest in STEM and enjoys reading. Her other hobbies include photography and watching movies.

Adia-Jade Williams, a Grade 10 student at the American International School of Kingston, is Team Jamaica’s deputy captain and one of its programmers. Active in robotics since 2022, she is also captain and lead programmer of her school’s robotics team. Williams aspires to become a mechanical engineer and has a keen interest in STEM. Outside robotics, she enjoys volleyball, playing the guitar, graphic design, art, and exploring the fundamentals of music.

Lester Hinds