JCOBA-NY tun up STEM with US$500K Capital Campaign

[Karl]

Good going!

Long thought that the 'social events' focus on fund raising should cease. They should be used to expand 'market' and recognized for what they are 'socials'.

We need 'real' fund-raising!
'Big up' to JC for embarking on another such! ...and for a very worthy cause!!!

Have no doubt the target shall be met and believe it shall be far surpassed!!!
FORWARD!

[Don1]

Long thought that the 'social events' focus on fund raising should cease. They should be used to expand 'market' and recognized for what they are 'socials'.

We need 'real' fund-raising!
'Big up' to JC for embarking on another such! ...and for a very worthy cause!!!

Have no doubt the target shall be met and believe it shall be far surpassed!!!
FORWARD!

Thanks Big Man...I completely agree. Mi nuh too inna di sell tikit ting fi mek money...

Aldo it necessary more time

[Islandman]

The ticket selling thing is very exhausting and you can only do so much of that each year, cause its the same people supporting.

When I was in ATL last month at one such fundraising event for Morant bay High, I was having a discussion with a Wolmers alum who was supporting us. He said it was a bit ridiculous that the high school alumni go to each others events but not that many people from outside the Jamaican high school community, so the money is in effect just circling around.

His basic point was that it would make more sense for alumni associations to collaborate on bigger initiatives that would attract funds from outside the community.

Of course that type of collaboration is much easier said than done. Anyone who has ever had to deal with these alumni associations would be well aware of that. However I have been seeing some gradual movement in that direction.

[Don1]

LOL!!! dah bredda yah sensible???

Yuh mek it soun like dem can start Robotics widout ah hardware/software knowledge or training dat ah di infrastructure. Robotics fi jamaican kids, wi need essential software/application development training fi kids before wi even reach ah Robotics

Hold dis fi si some

hardware/software knowledge or training dat ah di infrastructure..

Jamaica College Wins Inspire Award At Robotics Competition
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Published:Monday | March 25, 2013



Members of the Jamaica College robotics team show off their robot and engineering notebook to Michele English, president and chief operating officer of Columbus Communications Jamaica Limited. Flow is one of a number of corporate sponsors for the team. - Contributed

Jamaica College Robotics Club recently returned from New York, where the team competed in the FIRST Tech Challenge Robotics Competition. FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) is an international organisation with the mission of transforming modern culture by celebrating science and technology and encouraging more students to be interested in pursuing science, technology, engineering and mathematics education. The contest challenged student-designed-built-and-operated robots to fetch plastic rings and hang them on a rack.

Not only did the 10-member senior team earned a place to be one of 160 teams to compete in the World Championships in St Louis, Missouri, in April, they also won the Inspire award. The award recognises a team that not only is a strong competitor on the field, but also sets an outstanding example through the conduct of its members in showing team spirit and gracious professionalism towards other teams.

[Don1]

Si some more hardware/software infrastructure likkle man

Cultivating A National Agenda In STEM


Paul West, Guest Columist

More so than ever, academic curricula and government policy are being influenced by society's need for technology and energy conservation. The source of this policy shift is the knowledge that the financial stability of a nation's economy is directly proportional to innovation and creativity in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

Expertise in these fields will spur entrepreneurship, and foster job growth and economic development. Invariably then, whether at the national or state level, a future that incorporates technological advancement should be part of any dialogue a governing body has with its citizens. This type of conversation is of critical importance, especially in developing countries............................


In light of these US-based initiatives, it is remarkable that in a country like Jamaica, where the Government lacks funds to support novel educational programmes like that at the high-school level, Jamaica College (JC) offers comprehensive programmes in robotics and aviation. More remarkable is the fact that these programmes have been in existence for at least four years.

The quality of the robotics programme can easily be assessed by JC's performance in the US-based FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) competition. As the only Caribbean high-school competitor, in its four years of competing, JC has climbed from 65th in 2010 to two top-four finishes in 2012 and 2013.

Dr Paul A. West is a biomedical engineering scientist and City University of New York engineering professor.

[myYout]

Praticality ah dat ah di operative word. STEM programs was nevah di topic ah discussion. Mi criticize Robotics yes, kah jamaica need di academic disciplines weh STEM can provide before all ah dis automated human foolishness weh yuh tink is so important fi mek yout interested innah sciences.

[Assasin]

Everybody a idiot except Don1. Low him. LOL!!!

You a talk Robotics and him a full you up with STEM. LOL!!!

[Don1]

You are merely another ignorant yapper....fulla mout...But knowing and DOING nutten. Mi si unnu ah yap anna gi "advice" all di time. What I DON'T see is any WORK

What do you know of the value of robotics programs for kids? Clearly nothing

You think it's to create experts in robotics? It is NOT.

Before yuh come wid yuh ignorant eediat self ah try tell man bout sitten yuh nuh know nutten about... whe yuh fi duh is ask questions fi relieve yuh ignorance

Den try duh sitten fi help even one yute since yuh (apparently) suh interested.

Anedda empty vessel....Noisy, Ignorant, Foolish ...Gwaan yuh ways mi nuh ave tuh much time fi nuh ignoramus

[Don1]

Everybody a idiot except Don1. Low him. LOL!!!

You a talk Robotics and him a full you up with STEM. LOL!!!

Professor Johnny this proves you too are an ignoramus

Robotics is well known to be a STEM program

Leff dis before mi embarrass yuh furda... yuh nuh know nutten bout dis subjek. Juss like yuh eediat bredrin

[Assasin]

and as the man ask do we have infrastructure for Robotics? Everybody know that STEM program can be taught to high school students and even primary school student but how many schools you know teach robotics, even in the grand USA???

Robotics is much more complex than your basic STEM program.

All you know about is fi cuss and not to answer a basic question so it is nothing new.

[Don1]

and as the man ask do we have infrastructure for Robotics? Everybody know that STEM program can be taught to high school students and even primary school student but how many schools you know teach robotics, even in the grand USA???

Robotics is much more complex than your basic STEM program.
.

Ok so you're now informed that robotics is a STEM discipline...good start to your education

Professor Johnny...what "infrastructure" is needed for our robotics program??

Define it and give me a ballpark estimate since it's so "complex" and you're so knowledgeable

[Assasin]

Robotics need Teachers. It needs people who can write program, It needs designers and then hardware and materials. It Need CAD/Catia/Solidworks/Enovia for example and people who can use it for a starter to design and that is the basic. Not to mention people who are going to write many lines of codes for it to achieve anything much. You may also need people who have project management experience.

STEM gives a basic introduction and that is fine but if you talking Robotics, it is a whole nada tory.

[Islandman]

Teachers yes, but not specialist teachers nor a special curriculum.

The regular IT and electronic/mechanical technology CSEC teachers have the knowledge to do it. The CAD software that they use for these programs is free these days, and its not even a requirement.

Realise that they are not manufacturing robots in these programs, they are using a standard kit to design, build and and program one. Its mostly a programming project with some electronics and physics knowledge needed.

[Assasin]

But that is basically a part of the STEM program. It is a basic program. It is not really a "Robotics program" rather it is an introduction.

Again how many high schools can really have a Robotics program?

Again I am all for STEM.

[Islandman]

It is typically implemented as an extra-curricular activity, as you would have a science club or a drama club.

Many of the programs I have seen in Florida are not even based at schools, they are in Boys and Girls Club, Boy/Girl Scouts, 4-H Club, things like that.

I have seen one or two that are based at specialist engineering high schools but they are the exception rather than the rule. Its mostly regular schools or institutions who have someone who wants to push STEM and decide to go that route.