"Skystone" builds local excellence in robotics
Nine teams from seven of Grand Cayman’s local high schools gathered at the Camana Bay Arts & Recreation Centre on 1 February for ‘SKYSTONE’, the 2020 Minds Inspired Robotics’ FIRST Technical Challenge. The students were asked to imagine the cities of the future and design a robot capable of overcoming obstacles that stand in the path to build a superstructure.
Reaching for the skies with Robotics
A long time ago (last year) in a galaxy far, far away (the Camana Bay Arts & Recreation Centre), eight teams of intrepid students deployed their custom-built robots to retrieve samples of silver and gold Unobtainium, a rare mineral found only on the barren Planet X.
This year, the students and their droid allies are tasked with a different mission: building towering structures that will climb into the skies.
Nurturing Cayman's Maths Talent
Cayman’s brightest young mathematicians tested their skills at the 2019 Minds Inspired Mathematics Challenge on 21-22 November in the Sir Vassel Johnson Multipurpose Hall at the University College of the Cayman Islands.
Nominations for Dart Minds Inspired Excellence in Teaching STEM Awards Now Open
Dart Minds Inspired programme is synonymous with STEM in the Cayman Islands and is grounded in the Dart family’s legacy of supporting education and a longstanding belief that STEM subjects are essential for success in and beyond the classroom.
In 2018 Dart broadened the scope of Minds Inspired to include teachers – the hardworking individuals who, although behind the scenes, are often responsible for a student’s love of, and success in, school. The Award for Excellence in Teaching STEM was introduced, with a goal of supporting and encouraging the growth of STEM in Cayman by rewarding excellence in teaching STEM, and providing school grants to purchase STEM related resources.
National robotics team wins two awards at FIRST Global Challenge in Dubai
The Cayman Islands National Robotics team, made up of 11 students representing seven schools, competed in the FIRST Global robotics challenge in Dubai, United Arab Emirates 24 through 27 October. After completing nine matches over three days, the team finished 109 out of 190 teams with a total of four wins and five losses. In addition to their excellent work on the field, they also received two awards recognising their commitment to robotics through their preparation in the lead up to Dubai.
Solar Bugs Linked to STEM
The future is now and it involves solar-powered bugs. That was just one element of the eighth international STEM conference held last month at the University College of the Cayman Islands.
The three-day conference, which featured a local and international line-up of speakers, involved presentations and events focused on the STEM subjects of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. That's where the solar bugs came in.
Excellence in Teaching STEM Award Winners Receive Professional Development and Grants for School Supplies
Held in May, the inaugural Dart Minds Inspired Awards for Excellence in Teaching STEM recognised Von Ryan Abrantes of St. Ignatius Catholic School and Lune Vermeire, previously of Island Montessori, for their outstanding work in teaching science, technology, engineering and mathematics – collectively known as STEM.
As part of their awards, Abrantes and Vermeire each received a grant to attend a STEM related professional development course of their choice, a US$3,000 grant for their schools to enhance their STEM educational resources, and a cash award of US$1,000.
National robotics team prepares for Dubai
As the Cayman Islands National Robotics Team prepares to compete in the FIRST Global Challenge, the students visited the offices of Aureum Re, Caribbean Utilities Company (CUC) and Health City Cayman Islands to learn firsthand about STEM careers available locally.
2019 Cayman Islands National Robotics Team announced
In October 2019, 11 students will make the journey of a lifetime to compete in the FIRST Global Challenge as the Cayman Islands National Robotics Team.
Cayman Teams Rule the Pool at International SeaPerch Challenge
After stellar performances at the regional SeaPerch Challenge in March, the John Gray Aqua Lasers and Layman E. Scott Brac Bots recently represented the Cayman Islands at the 2019 International SeaPerch Challenge in College Park, Maryland.
"Rover Ruckus" Takes Local Robotics to New Heights
After months of work designing, building and programming their robots to compete in the Minds Inspired Robotics’ FIRST Technical Challenge, eight teams from Grand Cayman’s local high schools gathered at the Camana Bay Arts & Recreation Centre on 11 May for an out-of-this-world competition.
Themed “Rover Ruckus”, Aureum Re, Caribbean Utilities Co., Digicel and Health City Cayman Islands sponsored the event in partnership with Dart Minds Inspired.
Excellence in Teaching STEM Awards Celebrates Local Educators
The Dart Minds Inspired Award for Excellence in Teaching STEM was held on May 2 at the National Gallery of the Cayman Islands to recognise outstanding educators in the subjects of science, technology, engineering and mathematics – collectively known as STEM.
Students Gear Up for "Rover Ruckus" Robotics Challenge
For the past three months, nine teams from local high schools across Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac have been working to develop prototypes of their robots to compete in the first Minds Inspired MI robotics’ FIRST Technical Challenge, themed “Rover Ruckus.”
Aqua Lasers, Brac Bots Dominate Again at Underwater Robotics Challenge
The John Gray Aqua Lasers and Layman E. Scott Brac Bots will represent the Cayman Islands for the second time at the 2019 International SeaPerch Challenge in College Park, Maryland, 1-2 June.
Interschool Chess Tournament A Success
More than 120 students from 8 local schools participated in the inaugural Interschool Chess Tournament sponsored by Dart Minds Inspired. Hosted by Cayman International School, the competition was held on Wednesday, 27 February, at the Arts and Recreation Centre in Camana Bay.
The tournament, which featured round robin and championship rounds with divisions for primary, middle and high school students, lasted for approximately four hours.
Minds Inspired and CUC Encourage Students to Dream Big
In celebration of Engineering Week, Dart Minds Inspired and Caribbean Utilities Company (CUC) partnered to host a special screening of “Dream Big: Engineering Our World” for a select group of local high school students on Friday, 22 February.
Approximately 130 students from seven high schools across Grand Cayman gathered at the Camana Bay Cinema to watch the award-winning documentary feature and experience presentations from 10 engineers from both Dart and CUC.
Dart Education Programmes Manager Glenda McTaggart says the students were recommended to attend the event by their teachers as a result of their strong interest in engineering.
“I am delighted to see so many young people interested in STEM and, in particular, engineering,” she says. “This event was an incredible opportunity to connect interested students with local STEM leaders.”
Dart and CUC employees with backgrounds in mechanical, civil, electrical, geotechnical and biological and power engineering explained their educational backgrounds and career paths, took student questions, and highlighted the career opportunities in engineering.
Dart Executive Vice President of Development Planning & Asset Management Justin Howe says engineering presents exciting and rewarding career opportunities.
“An engineering degree is a very sought after and highly paid qualification, increasingly so in the connected world in which we live. It is the passport that opens opportunities throughout the world in careers that are interesting, challenging and well paid,” he says.
CUC President Richard Hew says that engineers shape the world we live in.
“Engineering is about making the world a better place and improving quality of life. CUC is anticipating that some of these students will become engineers in the future,” he says.
Their insights had a clear effect on the student audience and, when Mrs. McTaggart asked how many students felt empowered to pursue a career in engineering, the theatre was full of raised hands.
“We are proud to continue to emphasise STEM in the Cayman Islands, partner with like-minded organisations to promote STEM careers and host events that help young people engage with local innovators and leaders,” she says.
Minds Inspired Announces Interschool Chess Tournament
Dart Minds Inspired is proud to announce its sponsorship of the upcoming Interschool Chess Tournament, scheduled to be held on Wednesday, 27 February, at the Arts and Recreation Centre in Camana Bay.
Hosted by Cayman International School, the competition will feature round robin and championship rounds with divisions for primary, middle school and high school students.
FIRST Robotics Officially Launched in the Cayman Islands
Dart Minds Inspired has partnered with Aureum Re, Caribbean Utilities Company (CUC), Digicel, and Health City Cayman to bring FIRST robotics programmes to high school students in the Cayman Islands.
FIRST, which stands for ‘For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology’, is a US-based non-profit organisation that inspires young people to be leaders in science and technology.
Kraken the star attraction at STEM Carib Conference robotics session
It was standing-room only as the Cayman Islands Robotics team showed off their robot, Kraken, to STEM enthusiast attendees at the STEM Carib Conference hosted by the University College of the Cayman Islands (UCCI) and Harrisburg University. The breakout session showcased the team’s journey to the FIRST Global Challenge in Mexico City this past August.
Robotics team makes Cayman proud at FIRST Global Challenge 2018
Adrian Phillips-Hernaez, Ethan Cronier and Joe Allom-Perez, together known as the Cayman Islands’ first robotics team, have a lot to tell when they return to school next week after participating in the FIRST Global International Robotics Challenge on 16 - 18 August in Mexico City, Mexico. Accompanied by technical advisor Von Ryan Abrantes, physics teacher at St. Ignatius Catholic School and team manager, Glenda McTaggart, Dart Education Programmes manager the team represented Cayman amongst over 160 countries.
Cayman robotics team heads to Mexico City for Global Challenge
Dart Minds Inspired is proud to announce its sponsorship of the Cayman Islands Robotics team as it travels to Mexico City to participate in the FIRST Global Challenge, an Olympics modeled robotics event.
Dart's JA company donates profits to Mental Health Awareness
Dart’s Junior Achievement Company “Island Totes” completed its foray in to the world of business with the successful sale of 82 tote bags and a donation of CI$600 to the Alex Panton Foundation.
MI Academy sets sail with Cayman's future nautical engineers
Shipbuilding has always held deep intrinsic value for the Cayman Islands, once as a primary source of income and now, an emblem of our culture. Our maritime history is thoroughly documented in books, paintings, through oral tradition and even music.
Today, local teenagers are more likely to build virtual ships on their mobile devices than in real life, but a few fortunate students were able to design, build and sail their own crafts at the MI Academy Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering camp.
Cayman Compass: Cayman team preps for ‘robotic Olympics’
A team of students from Cayman will travel to Mexico City next month to take part in what is billed as the “robotic Olympics.”
Dart Minds Inspired puts Caymanian students to work
Twenty Caymanian students, the first wave of Dart’s 2018 Minds Inspired summer Work-X students, are off to a promising start and working in areas as diverse as Finance, Marketing, Business Innovations, Human Resources and IT.
“Work-X is competitive, we regularly receive more than 100 applications for 30 spots each summer” said Glenda McTaggart, Manager Education Programmes.