Avele College has put up its hand to represent Samoa at the The FIRST Global Robotics Challenge – an international robotics competition organised annually by the FIRST Global Higher Education Network for high school students from around the world.
In October 2019, Robert Louis Stevensons School (RLSS) represented Team Samoa to the First Global Robotic Challenge held in Dubai.
Due to COVID19 restrictions, the international competition was cancelled last year but this year despite a late entry in mid-August 2021, Avele College has put up its hand to represent Samoa, and they will be assisted by the Samoa Information Technology Association (SITA).
From SITA the President Muliagatele James Ah Wai and SITA’s Project Manager Mailo Henry Mailo will lead this important Project for Avele and Samoa.
In a press statement SITA President Muliagatele James Ah Wai commended the ground work by RLSS, as well as their teachers and mentors who put Samoa forward two years ago.
“We especially acknowledge Le Mamea Sia Matalavea and the University of the South Pacific for passing the baton to the Samoa Information Technology Association, to continue partnership with First Global”, he said.
FIRST Global is a nonprofit organisation that promotes science, technology, engineering, and maths education and career development by involving students from around the world in a robotics competition modeled after the Olympic Games.
Each year a different nation hosts the challenge and a new theme with a relevant challenge takes center stage in an effort to foster understanding and cooperation among the youth of the world as they use their abilities to solve the world’s problems.
There are three Challenges – The Solution Challenge, Robotics challenge, and CubeSat Prototype Challenge.
“For Avele college, we have selected something different this year and registered for the CubeSat Prototype Challenge,” said Muliagatele.
“CubeSat’s are a class of nanosatellites that can be used for the application of earth observation, communication, weather monitoring, and much more,” he explains.
“We will use the kit, which includes a microcontroller, camera, and environmental sensors, to create our CubeSat prototype to design, build, program, and launch it to the lower layers of the eth’s atmosphere”.
Muliagatele says they will need to decide on a mission from the set list below for the project to focus on.
- Air or ground pollution sensing
- Agricultural monitoring
- Weather measurements
- Human activity and health
- Land use
- Climate change detection
- Mapping
- Disaster relief and recovery
- Forest health
“We acknowledge with appreciation the support of Avele College’s principal, staff, and selected science students for the opportunity and commitment to represent Samoa. Also, the Ministry of Revenue and Customs Team for great assistance”.
“Despite the late registration and arrival of the kits, we are focuse and believe that with teamwork and collaboration between SITA and Avele College, we will get Team Samoa to the finish line”.
“This will be an eye-opener opportunity for the students to experience such challenging tasks which will be very important for Samoa in years to come”, added Muliagatele.
About First Global
FIRST Global is a US-based not-for-profit public charity established by the founder of FIRST® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology)
MISSION is to inspire leadership and innovation in youth from all nations by empowering them through education in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics — also known as STEM. In addition, by nurturing cross-cultural communication and cooperation among high-school students around the world through STEM, we empower them to collectively tackle the world’s most pressing challenges and come up with solutions that improve the quality of life for all.
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