UJAA marks 10 years of supporting Jamaica’s Global Robotics team

The Union of Jamaican Alumni Associations (USA) Inc. (UJAA) is marking 10 years of sponsoring Jamaica’s participation in the FIRST® Global Robotics competition as Team Jamaica Robotics prepares to compete in the 2026 FIRST® Global Challenge in Incheon, South Korea, from Oct. 7–10.

The 10th staging of the international competition will bring together young innovators from around the world, with Jamaica continuing its participation in the global youth robotics event.

Team Jamaica’s nine-member, co-ed delegation includes students, coaches and a chaperone representing the American International School of Kingston, Immaculate Conception High School, Knox College, St. Andrew High School for Girls and Wolmer’s Boys School.

The coaching team is led by Marc-Anthony Eaton and Orville Daley of Jamaica College, who said the selected students are confident and prepared to represent Jamaica while embracing the FIRST® spirit of gracious professionalism.

Last year, Team Jamaica faced significant travel delays after Hurricane Melissa. Despite the challenges, the team reached Panama and competed against teams from around the world, eventually securing third place after two days of alliance-based competition.

UJAA, which has sponsored Jamaica’s participation for a decade, continues to provide high school students with opportunities to learn, compete and represent Jamaica on the international stage.

Support from UJAA members and alumni associated with the participating schools has helped make the program possible. However, the organization said financial support remains an ongoing challenge.

The FIRST® Global Challenge draws on the 14 Grand Challenges of Engineering identified by the National Academies of Engineering in the United States, the United Kingdom and China. This year’s theme, “Igniting Innovation,” focuses on wildfire prevention, mitigation and recovery.

UJAA President Donovan Wilson said the organization’s commitment is rooted in the belief that the experience can have a lasting impact on students by exposing them to real-world challenges and giving them opportunities to contribute to future solutions.

UJAA is an umbrella organization of Jamaican alumni associations committed to supporting education, service and community development initiatives that benefit Jamaica and the Jamaican diaspora.