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By Cosmas Omegoh
A team of eight high school students has been selected to represent Nigeria at this year’s FIRST Global Robotics challenge holding in Singapore between October 7 and 10, 2023.
The students, Osadebanwen John-Nejoh, Adetayo Kalejaiye, Daanish Mehra, Temitope Johnson, Abdulazeez Adekunle, Bashirat Sulaiman, Fiyinfoluwa Oluokun and Adeshina Mojoyinoluwa, aged between 14 and 18, were selected and coached by ASEN (Association of STEM Educators in Nigeria), an NGO committed to STEM education in Nigeria.
The selection, it was learnt, was done through a rigorous screening process aimed at identifying exceptionally-gifted candidates that will fly the nation’s flag at the global competition.
Organisers of the competition, First Global, are a not-for-profit charity inspiring leadership and innovation in youths from all nations by empowering them through education in STEM.
Since the inception of the competition in 2017, it has empowered high-school students around the world to collectively tackle the world’s most pressing challenges.
This year’s challenge will be held from October 7th -10th, 2023 in Singapore; the “Olympics-style” robotics event concentrates on revolutionising renewable energy with a focus on hydrogen. Team Nigeria has participated in FGC since its inception in 2017 and has won medals in each competition.
According to one of the mentors of Team Nigeria, Ibikunle Olayinka Joshua, the students were dedicated and committed to making a difference through their innovative solutions to problems of renewable energy with a focus on hydrogen.
“We are raising funds for the registration fee and travel. We are asking for your help in this huge undertaking. By assisting us, you are investing in the enthusiastic and ambitious engineers, scientists, leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators of tomorrow.”
The try-out challenge began with the registration of over 100 students drawn from different secondary schools across Nigeria. They were divided into groups to access their knowledge of teamwork, creativity, focus, and problem-solving skills. At the end of the challenge, only the best eight were selected to represent Team Nigeria and compete with about 190 nations of the world in Singapore next month.
It was also learnt that previous members of Team Nigeria got admitted to the top universities in the US and other countries and in some cases graduated at the top of their class.
The First Global Challenge was founded by Dean Kamen to inspire a passion for science and technology, leadership, and innovation, among the world’s over two billion youths. It provides the framework for an Olympic-style robotics event that drives home the importance of obtaining science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) skills needed by future leaders to overcome the greatest challenges facing the world.
