The Christ Church Girls’ School is the winner of the Barbados Light and Power (BL&P) Company Limited’s ‘Battle of the Bots’ Primary School Coding and Robotics Competition for 2024.
On May 30, the BL&P, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Technological and Vocational Training, launched its competition entitled ‘Battle of the Bots’.
The competition saw entries from Classes One to Four students at nine primary schools across the island. Those schools were Christ Church Girls’, Ellerton Primary, Milton Lynch Primary, West Terrace Primary, St. Lawrence Primary, Sharon Primary, Blackman Gollop Primary, Arthur Smith Primary and St. Christopher Primary.
The all-girls contingent also nabbed the number one spots in the Go Construct and Go Construct IQ segments. Meanwhile, the students from the Blackman and Gollop school, who were second-place winners, were awarded the prize for the Best All Round team. The third to fifth-place winners were Arthur Smith Primary, Ellerton Primary and West Terrace Primary, respectively.
Chief Education Officer, Dr. Ramona Archer-Bradshaw, while delivering her remarks ahead of the presentation of prizes yesterday, said the competition was not just an event, but a journey of exploration, collaboration, and relentless pursuit of excellence, through the use of funding and the combination of the efforts of students, participants, teachers, and coaches.
Dr. Archer-Bradshaw further stated that initiatives such as the coding and robotics competition have a transformative power in shaping young minds, preparing them for challenges and opportunities of tomorrow, while paving the way for a great future.
“The competition has taught them that success is not merely about winning trophies or accolades; it’s about the journey of personal growth and development that each participant has undertaken. Through competitions such as these, our students learn the invaluable lesson of teamwork and of harnessing individual strengths to achieve collective greatness,” she said.
The Chief Education Officer added that the ethos of this collaboration instilled in the children the importance of cooperation, communication, and mutual support and respect, skills that are fundamental, not only for competition, but in all aspects of life.
“The pursuit of being the best is the cornerstone of competitions such as ‘Battle of the Bots’. It is about setting ambitious goals, pushing boundaries, and exceeding expectations…. This robotics competition has allowed students to learn the value of perseverance and self-determination; qualities that pave the way for achievement and success, not just in schools, but in future careers and the relationships that they may form,” she said.
Dr. Archer-Bradshaw also told the students that striving for greatness is more than ambition, but it is a mindset and a commitment to continuous improvement and innovation.
“This ‘Battle of the Bots’ has challenged our students to think creatively, to innovate, to find solutions to complex problems. They have learned that through this process there is greatness, and this greatness is not an end point, but a journey to constant evolution and refinement,” she stated.
Highlighting that the Ministry recognised that commitment to lifelong learning is critical to education transformation, the Education Chief said that through this initiative, the students had developed a passion for discovery and exploration that extends far beyond the competition arena.
She also pointed out that the participants had embraced the culture of curiosity and continuous learning; a mindset that prepares them not just for today’s challenges, but for opportunities and prospects for the future. She added that the goals of empowering students to reach their full potential and cultivating essential skills for success had been reached.
Dr. Archer-Bradshaw encouraged the students to applaud their principals, teachers and coaches while acknowledging that their guidance and support were the driving force behind their overall success.
“As we witness the achievements and milestones of today’s competition, let us remember that the true measure of success lies not in the trophies won, but in the lives transformed and the futures inspired, thus leading to a bright future for every child,” she said.