Antigua and Barbuda’s first all-girls robotics team is preparing to make history when it represents the nation at the 2026 FIRST Global Challenge in Incheon, Republic of Korea, from October 1 to 12.

Minister of Education, Sports and Creative Industries Daryll Matthew recently met with the five students of Team Antigua and Barbuda to learn more about their journey into robotics and examine the strategy and engineering behind their competition robot.

During the meeting, the students explained how the robot was designed to collect, store, lift, climb and score game elements. They also outlined how its design has evolved through continuous construction, testing and modification.

A major part of the competition will require the team’s robot to work effectively alongside robots designed by students from other countries. The students said cooperation and adaptability will be critical to advancing to the finals.

Minister Matthew used the discussion to highlight the importance of perseverance and critical thinking, reminding the students that innovation is often achieved through repeated experimentation.

“One of the things that we take for granted is critical thinking. Just because your first version doesn’t work doesn’t mean you should give up; you should always keep innovating,” he told the team.

Drawing on his own experience, Matthew encouraged the young engineers to view unsuccessful attempts as part of the process rather than as failures. He said the ability to identify a problem, reconsider an approach and improve a solution is a valuable skill that extends beyond robotics and can also contribute to academic success.

The team is documenting that process in an engineering notebook. Each student takes turns recording the robot’s development, the challenges encountered and the modifications made as the design progresses.

Matthew also spoke individually with the students about what sparked their interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics and where they hope those interests will take them.

He congratulated them on their progress and encouraged them to continue pursuing the areas that inspire them.

The minister also urged the students to embrace the broader experience of representing Antigua and Barbuda internationally, including meeting young people from different cultures, exchanging ideas and forming friendships that could expand their perspectives.

Team Antigua and Barbuda is now entering the final stages of refining its robot ahead of the Olympic-style competition, which will be held under the theme “Igniting Innovation.”

The event is expected to bring together student teams from more than 190 countries to apply STEM principles while promoting international collaboration and cross-cultural exchange.

For the five young women preparing to carry Antigua and Barbuda’s flag, the competition will provide an opportunity to showcase the talent, creativity and potential of the nation’s next generation of innovators.