In a historic moment for STEM advancement in the Eastern Caribbean, Antigua and Barbuda’s Minister of Education, Science and Technology Daryll Matthew formally introduced the nation’s first all-female robotics team and their custom-built robot HAWK to Prime Minister Gaston Browne and the full Cabinet during an official ceremony held Wednesday. The high-profile presentation marked the first time a student robotics project has received formal recognition at the highest level of the country’s government, underscoring the administration’s growing commitment to expanding youth engagement in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Minister Matthew did not limit his support to ceremonial recognition; the local Board of Education, which operates under his ministerial portfolio, has allocated 30,000 Eastern Caribbean dollars to fund the team’s travel, preparation and participation in the upcoming international competition. Prime Minister Browne lavished praise on the five team members, who were handpicked from participants in this year’s TechByte summer STEM residential camp. Calling the young students the “crème de la crème” of Antigua and Barbuda’s emerging STEM talent, the prime minister encouraged the team to compete with confidence and aim to bring the global competition title back to the twin-island nation. The all-girls squad is set to represent Antigua and Barbuda at the 2026 FIRST Global Challenge, scheduled to take place from October 7 to 10 in Incheon, the Republic of Korea. Aligned with this edition’s theme “Igniting Innovation,” the competition is projected to gather more than 190 national teams from across the globe, making it one of the largest international youth robotics events in the world. This year’s challenge tasks participating teams with collaborating to design and operate robots that complete simulated real-world missions focused on wildfire prevention, mitigation and recovery – a pressing issue for many small island developing states that face growing climate-related wildfire risks. The Antigua and Barbuda team counts five talented young students: Hannah Masson, Audella-Mae James, Gyanna Ryan, Sidea Ambrose and Neola Noronha. They have been undergoing intensive preparation under the guidance of lead mentor Elijah James and assistant mentor Asanti Bacchus, who have supported the team in designing, building and testing their robot HAWK ahead of the international tournament.
Minister Matthew takes girl power to Cabinet, backs bid for global robotics title
