A three-member team from St. Hilda’s Diocesan High School in Brown’s Town, St. Ann, will carry Jamaica’s flag in Eindhoven, Netherlands, when they compete in the FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) European Premier Event 2026 from June 16 to 20.
The all-girls team, made up of captain Toria-Lee Martin, Deijhanae Thomas and lead engineer Isheka Rose, will match skills in engineering, programming and teamwork against competitors from around the world.
The ladies secured their place after their strong performance in the FIRST Tech Challenge Jamaica National Robotics Championship held earlier this year.
Toria-Lee, who spoke to JIS News at Friday’s (June 12) closing ceremony for the WorldSkills Jamaica and Studica Robotics International Training Camp at the Cardiff Hotel & Spa in Runaway Bay, St. Ann, said that the team’s participation is not only about winning but highlighting female excellence in robotics.
“Robotics is not an activity that only men can partake in. Women can, as well, and we’re living proof of this, as our robotics team is just women and we made our robot ourselves. So, it is possible. There are many opportunities in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) world, so yeah, women too can do it,” the sixth-form student said.
“So, we expect to score as much points as possible. We also hope to walk away with one or two awards, hopefully,” she added.
Deijhanae, for her part, told JIS News that she is looking forward to the experience and bringing something back for their school.
She said she wants to show her schoolmates that robotics and engineering can be “fun, expressive and full of opportunity”.
Moreover, the fourth-form student indicated that the robotics field is broader than many people realise.
“There are some people who don’t do well or don’t want to do the hands-on experience. Well, you also have programming, so, it’s not something that you limit yourself to. There are different fields in robotics that you can go into,” she pointed out.
WorldSkills Jamaica Team Leader, Charlene Mohan, told JIS News that the organisation, through the HEART/NSTA Trust, has been working with the St. Hilda’s team to prepare for the competition in the Netherlands.
Coaches, competitors, and technical experts have been supporting the students through training and refinement of their robot, she noted.
Mrs. Mohan said that the initiative forms part of a broader national effort to strengthen technical and vocational education among young people.
In March 2025, HEART/NSTA Trust relaunched World Skills Clubs in secondary schools to help students develop skills aligned with international competition standards.
“St Hilda’s was the first school to sign up as a World Skills Club, and robotics is currently the most common area of focus, alongside engineering, cooking and other technical disciplines,” Mrs. Mohan pointed out.
“By partnering with technical and high schools, the organisation aims to help students recognise the value of skills-based careers and see technical and vocational pathways as viable options for their future,” she added.
The WorldSkills Jamaica and Studica Robotics International Training Camp featured participants from China, Singapore, India, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Barbados, South Africa, Canada (Studica Robotics) and Jamaica.
The event provided a platform for the youth to gain practical knowledge and exposure to a global network of skills professionals.