FREEPORT, Grad Bahama, Nov. 22, 2022 – On November 17, 2022, The Grand Bahama Port Authority, Limited (GBPA), in partnership with ALIV, launched the second cohort of its STEM Empowerment & Educational Development (SEED) Program.
Initially launched in April, the two-day coding workshop focused on enhancing the development of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) within all local high schools across Grand Bahama and aimed to advance the island as a tech and innovation hub, galvanizing critical support to sustain a robust industrial sector.
The coding workshop took place at The Bahamas Technical & Vocational Institute (BTVI), facilitating approximately 70 junior high-level students from three high schools, including Sister Mary Patricia Junior High School, Jack Hayward Junior High School, and Eight Mile Rick High School. Students were engaged in interactive, hands-on experiences to learn the basics of coding. STEMLINGO coding kits were used by the students to create a sensor, commonly used in autonomous vehicles such as Tesla and other brands.
GBPA Chief Investment Officer Derek Newbold noted that despite being introduced just a few months ago, the program not only gained sufficient interest from other schools and sponsors, but the participation for the second cohort nearly doubled.
“We were excited about the interest expressed by both teachers and students in the Program,” Newbold stated. “The students demonstrated an eagerness to embrace and apply the concepts learned during training and, as facilitators, we were encouraged and inspired by their willingness. To have had ALIV join us again as a sponsor for this past cohort added tremendous value to our initiative. Their support enabled us to reach even more students than the initial cohort.”
The pilot STEM coding workshop, held in April, unveiled numerous synergies and opportunities for collaboration between GBPA, educational institutions, and other private sector partners. In demonstrating their commitment to positively shaping the future minds of this island and country, ALIV once again echoed its support for the program.
“We believe in the power of collaboration,” stated Jecholiah Braynen, Trade Marketing Coordinator at ALIV. “The purpose of our support for this partnership was to inspire and equip future innovators with the skills and tools necessary to compete in a growing global economy. We look forward to future collaborations with GBPA.”
“As we planned and coordinated with the teachers, it was invigorating to see how excited they were about the workshops,” commented Trevor Simmons, SEED Program Coordinator and Business Development & Marketing Officer at GBPA. “We experienced a sensational two days of learning. Seeing how much ground we covered with the pilot and SEED 1.2 workshops, we hope that the opportunities, partnerships, and synergies created will lead to a new level of excitement for the future of SEED.”
