Tongan students have made their mark in the interntional sport of Robotics. Five students from the University of the South Pacific Tonga campus returned home, after winning a silver medal at the 2022 FIRST® Global Challenge in Geneva, Switzerland held on 13-16 October.

The Prime Minister, Hon Hu'akavameiliku hosted the Kau To'a robotics team to a lunch in Nuku'alofa this week.

Students from more than 180 nations participated in the Olympic-styled international event, organised by FIRST® Global, a not-for-profit organization established to promote science and technology leadership and innovation in young people.

This year’s games concluded with exciting final championship matches and an award ceremony, during which teams were awarded medals in several categories. The winners [2] for the awards were determined by a group of internationally selected judges.

The Tongans were among four runner-ups in the FIRST® Global Finalists Alliance Award.

The Tongan Student participants were:

• Ro Taukafa – (spoke person/ designer)
• Lavinia Taumoha’apai – (driver/ designer)
• Sione Ve’ehala – (driver/ programmer)
• ‘Uluakiola Fine – (team leader/ spoke person)

Mentors

• Nofo Fonua Hakaumotu – technical main mentor
• Lofan Tupou – technical assistant mentor.

USP Tonga stated that this event brings together talented problem solvers to showcase how they can work together to discover solutions to aid global challenges.

This year included Carbon Capture games, where it aims to remove carbon “carbon capture”.

The participants came together and competed to capture and store carbon, demonstrating the collective effort required to protect our shared atmosphere and slow the effects of climate change.

At the same time, the event highlighted the importance of addressing global climate change, while students learned and discovered STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) through robotics.

1. FIRST® Global Winning Alliance Award

Awarded to the four teams in the winning alliance in the final match.

1. Winning Alliance: Lithuania, Belize, Switzerland, Botswana

2. FIRST® Global Finalist Alliances Award

Awarded to the four-team alliance who placed second in the final match and the winning alliance in the third-place match.

2. Runner-up: Mexico, Republic of Korea, Tonga, Tanzania
3. Second Runner Up: Senegal, Hungary, North Macedonia, Puerto Rico

There were also prizes in another 18 categories.

FIRST® Global, is a not-for-profit organization established to promote science and technology leadership and innovation in young people from all nations through the sport of robotics, brought together students from more than 180 nations October 13-16 at PalExpo in Geneva for the FIRST Global Challenge, a high-profile, international robotics competition convening high-school-aged participants who work together to solve global challenges.