Guyanese & Barbados youths claim victory at the “COVID Warz” coding challenge

One hundred twenty youths from Guyana, Barbados and Trinidad signed up for the 2020 STEMGuyana “COVID Warz” Challenge. The 2020 challenge asked that children ages 7 through 16 use the MIT Scratch coding program to create an animation that either explained how COVID-19 was transmitted or how COVID-19 could be prevented. More than 84 of the young people who participated in the challenge live in Guyana and had completed a STEMGuyana Scratch coding camp or was enrolled in a STEM club.

Five youths of the one hundred twenty registrants prevailed. In first place, was COLAACO Private School student and STEMGuyana (Sports Hall) club member, 10 year old On Beaton. On had his pick of a laptop computer or a MRT-5 robotics kit and he chose the MRT-5 competition robotics kit, compliments of a December STARR Computers financial donation.

St Stanislaus Student and STEMGuyana member (Sports Hall club) 14 yr old Ariel Taylor took home the 2nd place prize. Ariel won a Dell Laptop computer, compliments of donations from the Guyana Diaspora.

15 year old Barbados student Merrick Marshal won the third place prize of a tablet computer, compliments of Ministry of Public Telecommunications.

10 year old Tushaant Sanichara who is a STEM club member (Sports Hall) won the 4th place prize and will claim a lovely tablet computer as his prize.

The youngest member of the winning team, 9 yr old Zion Rambarran has been a long time member of the STEMGuyana Sports Hall club. He will take home the 5th place prize of a tablet computer.