Students showcase their innovative ideas at icode784 competition

Groups from the North Union Secondary School (NUSS), the St Vincent Grammar School (SVGS) and the St Vincent and Grenadines Community College (SVGCC) have proven that they have some of this country’s top thinkers.

The students from these institutions are the winners in the three categories of the National Telecommunications Regulatory Commission’s (NTRC) annual “icode784 competition” which took place this Tuesday at the Methodist Church Hall in Kingstown.

First place in the secondary mobile application category went to Astra of the SVGS, made up of Luke Wilson, Isaac Cepeda, and Stanislaus Gomes.

Taking the top spot in the secondary idea category is the NUSS Conquerors 2, a group made up of students Sabriya Neverson, Jamarl Pope and Moriah Williams.

The group presented application software called “Smarchitect”, a computerized desk system aimed at replacing text books and other writing material.

Pope said the device is a realistic way of making students more comfortable while saving money.

“The idea has been done in another country so it can be implemented here,” he said while Neverson commented, “I am very excited and this is the first time in my life I ever came first”.

Astra from the SVGS, made up of Stanislaus Gomes and Isaac Cepeda was second in this category while the UISS Geo team of Vickron Alexander, Alex Smith, Jeremiah Jones and Kerisha Lewis was third.

Winners in the secondary school idea category got $2000, $1000 and $800, for first, second and third place respectively, among other prizes.

First place in the secondary mobile application category went to Astra of the SVGS, made up of Stanislaus Gomes, Isaac Cepeda and Luke Wilson.

Gomes said that this was the group’s second time winning in the completion and it feels good. The presented an app called “Discover SVG”, a mobile application designed to help persons, including tourists, find attractions and venues in St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG). He added also that the app can give taxi numbers and many places to visit assisted by a map.

In second place in the secondary mobile application category was the group To Make a Better Future (TMABF) from the St Joseph’s Convent Kingstown (SJCK) made up of Zia Clarke and Alysha Cornwell.

Third place went to S4 Coders of the Mountain View Adventist Academy which is made up of Shayniah Thomas, Crystal Francis, Shaiyan Bowman and Shavonya Williams.

Winners in the secondary school mobile app category received get $3000, $1500 and $1000 respectively along with other prizes.

The open category was won by KNR made up of Rolano Nanton and Khalisa Peters

The open category was won by KNR made up of Rolano Nanton and Khalisa Peters.

Nanton said their app can benefit both programmers and clients as it allows clients to post requests for specialized apps and programmes that are seen by programmers who are then invited to make bids to create these requested apps.

Nanton added that they have a working prototype while Peters said the work leading up to the finals was very hard.

“We had school projects, exams and other activities, church, home, so it was rough and sleepless nights and headaches,” said Peters who along with Nanton is a second year student of the Division of Arts, Science and General Studies.

Second in this category was We are HEER, Cenus Hinds and Joslis Hinds while third went to First Contact, Delano Williams and Nicotello Providence.

The open category winners got $5000, $2500 and $1500 for first, second and third place respectively.

This year, the icode784 competition (formerly Ideas and Innovation/iSquared (i2) competition) asked participants to come up with ideas and mobile applications aimed at helping the government in its drive to achieve the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The ideas and mobile applications presented this year, centered on tourism, monitoring teacher and students’ behaviour, and education among other things.

The other teams in the secondary school idea category finals were UISS Health Science from the Union Island Secondary School; NUSS Conquerors 1, NUSS Conquerors 2, NUSS Conquerors 3 from the North Union Secondary School; Technopaths and Carpe Cuerta from the Girls’ High School; Astra, Reboot Vincy and Team Titans from the St Vincent Grammar School, S4 Coders from the Mountain View Adventist Academy and Visonairz 2 from the Troumaca Ontario Secondary School.

The other competitors in the secondary school mobile app category were the St Joseph’s Convent Kingstown’s TAFS’ Innovations and MV Coders of the Mountain View Adventist Academy.

The other two groups chosen to compete in the open category were Garduino and Dawati Techs.

The school with the most entries, was the GHS with 10 entries. The school received $1000.The winning mentors from the various groups received cash prizes of between $750 to $1000.

Other prizes include smartphones, printers, trophies and drinks from entities like the St Vincent Brewery Limited, Digicel and FLOW.