By Yasiin Sserwanja
Laurean Rugambwa Rugyendo, a bright and enthusiastic student from St. Mary’s College Kisubi (SMACK), is poised to lead a team of talented teenagers to the prestigious Vex Robotics World Championship in Dallas, Texas. This year marks the second consecutive year that Young Engineers Uganda, an after-school STEM program, will be sending a team to compete on the global stage.
The team, comprised of eight teenagers from various schools around Kampala, is brimming with excitement and anticipation. They are set to depart Uganda on Thursday, April 26th, ready to showcase their skills against over 2,000 teams from 55 countries. This international robotics competition, often referred to as the “World Cup” of robotics, promises to be a thrilling display of innovation and ingenuity.
Rugyendo, a Senior Two student, is no stranger to the challenges and rewards of STEM education. “I am very excited to lead the team and we hope to do better than last year and bring more honors to our nation,” he declared with a determined glint in his eyes. He credits Young Engineers Uganda with not only boosting his performance in math and physics at SMACK but also with equipping him with valuable practical skills that align perfectly with the Ugandan O-level curriculum’s emphasis on competence-based learning. “This is why we are going to face the whole world and we will square out with the first-world countries who are very advanced in technology,” he added with an unwavering confidence.
The wider Young Engineers network, encompassing numerous schools in Uganda’s central region, has been diligently preparing the team for this global showdown. Joining Rugyendo on this adventure are Tabitha Irungi Aloyo, Leona Pauline Ainemukama Muhangi, Linda Lesly Praise Kansiime, Queen Ankunda Kajwengye, Mathew Joe Muwaya, and Housna Kasemire Rashid. Guiding them through this intensive training program are their dedicated coaches, Allen Nanyonjo and Monica Arinaitwe.
Established in 2016, Young Engineers Uganda is a pioneering STEM program under the African School of Innovations Science and Technology (ASIST) Ltd. This after-school initiative, currently operating in over 20 schools with ambitious plans for nationwide expansion within five years, utilizes a creative LEGO and robotics curriculum to cultivate the next generation of Ugandan scientists, innovators, and problem solvers. STEM, an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, forms the core of this program, equipping young minds with the essential skills needed to thrive in the 21st century.
The upcoming Vex Robotics World Championship, scheduled for April 26th to May 4th, 2024, will be a true melting pot of innovation. Over 2,200 teams from more than 50 countries will converge in Dallas, Texas, to showcase their expertise in robotics. Ms. Alen Nanyonjo, the team’s head coach, confirmed that Mr. Dan Mantz, CEO of the Robotics Education & Competition Foundation, extended a warm invitation to Team Uganda early this year.
Mantz expressed his enthusiasm for their participation in this prestigious event, acknowledging the championship’s potential to ignite passion for STEM fields while fostering valuable life skills like self-confidence, communication, and problem-solving in young participants from across the globe.
Team Uganda’s journey to the world stage is a testament to their remarkable performance at the Pan African Robotics Competitions (PARC 2022) in Dakar, Senegal, where they secured an impressive bronze medal. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [whatsapp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).