Four Dominican students compete at FIRST Global Challenge in South Korea

Dominica: Dominica will be represented by four young robotics enthusiasts on an international stage as the 2026 FIRST Global Challenge kicks off in Incheon, South Korea. It is scheduled to take place from October 7-10, 2026.

The team includes Kaelan Matthew from St. Mary’s Academy, Leonelle Lewis from Dominica Grammar School and Kitarah Eustache and Naiyeelie Moreau of Dominica State College. They will participate with other teams coming from over 190 nations at the event. It will put their skills in robotics, programming, engineering, and problem-solving to the test.

The students are part of Nature Isle Robotics, a youth STEM initiative that has been working on building robotics and engineering skills among Dominican youth since 2018. They will be traveling with their mentors Phoenix Jacques and Odessa Dinnard. One of the team members, Kodie Jean-Jacques, will also serve as the team’s mentor.

All the participants have been working on the design, creation, and programming of the participating robot for months. The robot being taken to the competition has been designed collectively by a group of students from the wider Nature Isle Robotics programme.

While only four students will travel to South Korea, the competition entry shows the contribution and teamwork of the entire group.

Nature Isle Robotics was established as part of the Dominica Robotics Association and runs as a voluntary programme. Through this programme, more than 170 children have been introduced to robotics, engineering, and programming via workshops, outreach activities, and international competitions.

The students will gain hands-on experience in STEM fields and are encouraged to work together, while strengthening their problem-solving skills through this programme.

The students’ trip to South Korea is being supported by the Government of Dominica, business organizations, educational institutions, and individual sponsors. These include 767.dev, Dominica State College, Create Caribbean, National Bank of Dominica, Republic Bank, Central Cooperative Credit Union, Carlton Phillip, and Campbells.

The competition will provide the students an opportunity to collaborate with young innovators from all over the world. It will also give them international experience in their chosen fields.