A nine-student squad representing eight schools across Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac achieved a historic milestone at the 2026 FIRST Global Challenge, winning both a gold and a bronze medal on the global stage. Building upon eight years of steady progress and a strong foundation established by previous national teams, the Cayman Islands National Robotics Team reached new heights in South Korea this year, proving that small islands can make a big impact.
Led by Dart’s Mind Inspired programme, the team’s double win was the result of months of intense design work, creative troubleshooting and late-night rehearsals that pushed the students to their limits. Competing against 185 nations in the city of Incheon, the team secured bronze in the main robotics competition with their robot, Scotch Bonnet, as part of a four-country alliance with China, Turkmenistan and Türkiye. Their secondary creation, DumpDefender, took the gold in the New Technology Experience (NTE). This is the first time that the Cayman Islands has won medals at the FIRST Global Challenge since entering the competition in 2018.
Composure under fire: Scotch Bonnet’s triumphant debut
The main competition was far from effortless, challenging the team to come together under pressure despite the fierce competition. Throughout 11 qualifying matches, technical setbacks threatened to derail their momentum. During a critical match, a bent shooter shaft on Scotch Bonnet caused the intake wheels to lose speed, affecting its accuracy. In another match, a damaged drivetrain motor disconnected entirely, leaving the robot with only three working wheels.
"Instead of panicking, they immediately adjusted and were able to continue driving and competing effectively with only three motors," said mentor Desmond White, noting that the pit crew worked seamlessly between matches to replace damaged shafts and components under strict time constraints.
This ability to stay composed under pressure showcased Team Cayman’s technical mastery and mental grit. By trusting each other and troubleshooting mechanical failures in real time, the students demonstrated remarkable skills and maturity while under the spotlight, resulting in a third-place win
"To see our students step onto the world stage with such confidence, technical ability and poise fills me with immense pride," said Glenda McTaggart, senior manager of education programmes at Dart who travelled with the team to South Korea.
"This historic result is not just a triumph for these nine exceptional young people, but a testament to the dedication of our volunteer mentors who have poured countless hours into coaching them. Reaching this milestone reflects years of building a robust STEM foundation in Cayman, and it proves that when our students are given the opportunity and support, their potential to innovate at a global standard is truly limitless."
DumpDefender: turning hazards into innovation
In addition to the main robotics competition, the New Technology Experiencewas an optional category that challenged teams to develop innovative, scalable solutions and to think beyond traditional robotics.
For this challenge, the team looked for a problem close to home -- the recurring fires at Grand Cayman's George Town landfill -- and developed a device capable of smoke detection that includes a thermal camera and advanced sensors that can monitor methane levels and air quality.
"For a small team like ours, just getting one robot completed on time and having enough time to practice is already a big challenge," said team mentor Namitha Tweedie. "A lot of our presentation preparation happened very close to the competition ... we were even rehearsing in the hotel while dealing with jet lag."
That dedication paid off when the team stood before an international judging panel, presenting the DumpDefender with authentic local context and beating 80 other competing nations to claim top honours and a gold medal.
"Everyone was extremely happy," said team member Stephan Szczurko, recalling the moment they found out the team won gold. "We were all cheering and sprinted up to the stage when our name got called. We're all super excited that all our hard work paid off and that we could bring home a gold medal for the Cayman Islands."
Blue iguanas and strategic alliances
When not on the competition stage, the students experienced a four-day event filled with immersive lessons in international diplomacy and global culture. They navigated the vast venue and bonded with international peers, even sharing in local trivia.
To introduce the Cayman Islands to follow competitors, the team’s booth featured an interactive quiz with a unique prize
“We had a quiz about Cayman in our booth to win a blue iguana plushy," said team member Kyla Machingambi. "Many people were surprised to hear that it’s a real animal."
On the arena floor, cultural collaboration became a requirement for survival. To succeed in the finals, Scotch Bonnet had to join a four-country alliance alongside teams from China, Turkmenistan and Türkiye. Despite language differences and contrasting strategic styles, the alliance synchronised their gameplay to accumulate 1,009 points across two final matches, securing third place overall.
Beyond the engineering milestones, the experience imparted lasting personal lessons for the students navigating high-stakes international evaluation.
For student team member Daniel Branis, stepping onto that stage was a moment of personal growth.
"Along the way, I learned invaluable lessons,” said Branis. “That it’s okay to stumble ... that keeping everyone accountable doesn’t mean infringing on their autonomy, especially with a team as talented and hardworking as ours ... and that I am capable of far more than I ever imagined."
For Dart’s Minds Inspired programme, this historic performance marks a significant moment for local STEM education, proving that students from small nations can engineer solutions capable of leading the world.
Alongside Dart, the team’s record-breaking journey was made possible through the support of local sponsors: Aureum Re, Brava by Logic, Caribbean Utilities Company, Health City Cayman Islands and KPMG.
Meet the team
Get to know the nine extraordinary students and their dedicated mentors who represented the Cayman Islands on the global stage this year. Click here to download the official brochure of the 2026 Cayman Islands National Robotics Team to read about each team member and learn more about the robots they built and this year’s challenge.