Young Engineers Robotic Kids To Represent Uganda At World Robotics Championship In America

Team Uganda display the Ugandan flags at Dakar  arena in Senegal on Sunday

A robotics team of teenagers from Young Engineers Uganda, has secured a spot at the Vex Robotics World Championship 2023 in the USA to represent the Pearl of Africa.

Young Engineers Uganda is a STEM Education programme of the African School of Innovations Science and Technology (ASIST) Ltd, whose mission is to nurture the next generation of Uganda scientists, innovators, problem solvers and creative thinkers – using a LEGO and Robotics after school curriculum.

STEM stands for Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics.

The championships that will attract over 50 countries and over 2,200 teams from all over the world, will take place in Dallas, Texas from April 25- May 4, 2023.

“We are pleased to invite VEX Robotics team 40155A from Uganda to the United States for the 2023 VEX Robotics World Championship presented by the Northrop Grumman Foundation in Dallas, Texas, from April 25-May 4. In addition to competing in this prestigious event, there are several schools and educational institutions in the region that the team may be interested in visiting,” wrote Mr. Dan Mantz CEO Robotics Education & Competition Foundation to Young Engineers Uganda.

Writing to the Embassy of the United States’ Consular Services in Uganda on December 20, 2022, Mr, Matnz argued that the Ugandan team needs Visas because; “the VEX Robotics World Championship presented by the Northrop Grumman Foundation is the culminating event of the robotics season and unites the top student-led robotics teams from around the world to celebrate their accomplishments and to compete as we seek to crown World Champions.”

“The experience is designed to motivate young people to pursue education and career opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and math while building self-confidence, communication, and problem-solving skills,” he added.

Mr. Mantz explained that the experience is designed to motivate young people to pursue education and career opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and math while building self-confidence, communication, and problem-solving skills.

“We are confident that participating teams will have a great experience at the event. We are also providing participating teams recommendations on activities and local attractions. Please understand that all expenses in the US, including air tickets, domestic transportation, food, lodging, and insurance as well as personal costs will be the responsibility of the visiting guest,” he concluded.

The Ugandan team comprises 23 participants, 18 of whom are teenagers five are adults who also double as team coaches.

“Out of the 18 competitors on our team, eight are girls, a move that is in line with one of our missions which is to place as many young girls as possible onto the STEM Education grid,” reveals Mr. Arinaitwe Rugyendo, the Young Engineers Uganda Founder.

Team Uganda made the country proud in July this year when they won a bronze medal at the Pan African Robotics Competitions (PARC 2022) in Dakar, Senegal.

The children came fourth on the continent and number one in East Africa in competition that drew 30 countries together from July 1-5.

The competition was held under the theme: “Sustainable Impact” and participating students from the entire continent were challenged to create robotics and drone solutions for climate change adaptation, hunger, water, sanitation and transport in Africa.

Participating students got a unique opportunity to learn how to use science and technology to find innovative solutions to societal problems.

The competition was sponsored by such big names as the World Bank Group, Vex Robotics, Freedom Robotics, MathWorks, Deloite, Carnegie Mellon University- Rwanda, the Republic of Rwanda, MasterCard, UB.Tech, among others.

Participating team received free robotics kits while winners were placed on a pedestal for potential scholarship opportunities in different technology institutions around the globe.

What Team Uganda will do at Vex

Team Uganda has been placed under VEX IQ category where they will compete in the competition themed “Slapshot.” VEX IQ Competition Slapshot is played on a 6′ x 8′ rectangular field. Two robots will compete in the ‘Teamwork Challenge’ as an alliance in 60 second long teamwork matches, working collaboratively to score points. The field hold disc dispensers, which are scored in to the goal zones. The object of the game is to score as many points as possible with your alliance partner by scoring Discs in Goal Zones, removing Discs and touching Contact Zones at the end of the Match.

“Our students are supposed to build a robot that can slap/shot the discs in to the goal zones,” says Ms. Allen Nanyonjo, Head of STEAM at Young Engineers and also Head Coach -Team Uganda.

She adds that our world “faces a serious problem and without explicit and intentional action, we will eventually stagnate global progress and lead to a workforce that is unmotivated and ill-equipped to solve its future problems.”

“As the world grows more technologically complex, the challenges become more complex leading to an acute need of problem solvers. That is what we intend to achieve with our children at Vex Robotics Championship 2023,” she says.

Team Uganda Composition:

1. Maureen Karamagi Rugyendo – Team Leader
2. Sheila Ankunda Kajwengye – Deputy Team Leader
3. Allen Nanyonjo- Team Coach
4. Mellon Kenyangi- Assistant Coach
5. Monica Arinaitwe- Assistant Coach
6. Queen Ankunda Kajwengye – Student
7. Lowena Mwiza Rugyendo – Student
8. Gabriel Josephat Kawalya – Student
9. Pearl Mukama Ayebare – Student
10. Ethan Samuel Kazoora – Student
11. Celine Bwesigye Nyonyozi – Student
12. Leona Pauline Muhangi – Student
13. Aleem Israel Mangalji – Student
14. Gillian Victoria Namubiru- Student
15. Liam Mukisa- Student
16. Adreal Kendrick Atuhaire- Student
17. Timothy Rwasiina- Student
18. Jonathan Magezi Nteza- Student
19. Alvin Carmi Kyambadde- Student
20. John Gideon Ssengendo- Student
21. Micthell Salter Chibuike- Student
22. Ciara Bwesigye Kyamutetera- Student
23. Leonard Ssengooba Kabanda  – Student

About Vex World Robotics Championships

The VEX Robotics Competition, presented by the Robotics Education & Competition Foundation, is the largest and fastest growing middle school and high school robotics program globally. Each year, an exciting engineering challenge is presented in the form of a game. Students, with guidance from their teachers and mentors, build innovative robots and compete year-round.

In addition to learning valuable engineering skills, students gain life skills such as teamwork, perseverance, communication, collaboration, project management, and critical thinking. The VEX Robotics Competition prepares students to become future innovators with 95% of participants reporting an increased interest in STEM subject areas and pursuing STEM-related careers.

About Young Engineers Uganda

Founded in 2016 by media entrepreneur and journalist, Arinaitwe Rugyendo, Young Engineers Uganda is part of the worldwide Young Engineers educational enrichment programme Founded in 2008, in Israel.

Globally, Young Engineers operates Engineering after-school activities in over 50 countries. Its mission is to prepare 4-15 year-old students for the changing demands of the 21st-century workforce. With over 30,000 happy students globally, Young Engineers has been recognized by the Harvard School of Education and the European Union Commission.

“At Young Engineers, we believe in engaging our students’ education processes while developing their learning skills. We understand that every child has a different technique for learning and retaining information; yet, we have found out that making learning fun is the lowest common denominator for a successful education. We have meticulously generated hands-on curricula, which combine education and entertainment, creating our unique “edutainment” method, using a LEGO and Robotics curriculum,” Rugyendo says

In Uganda, the programme runs in partner schools, most especially Heritage International School, British School of Uganda and several other private schools.