Three members of the Boys & Girls Clubs of American Samoa (BGCAS) have been selected to represent American Samoa and compete in the FIRST Global Robotics Challenge set to take place in Singapore from October 7-10, 2023.
American Samoa will be participating, for the very first time, in what has been dubbed as the “Olympics of Robotics.”
An all-girl team of three talented individuals with impressive credentials reflecting their passion for robotics and STEAM education will be representing the Territory: Ashleigh Uelese, Awatea Gaisoa and Tinica Oliver, all students at Tafuna High School and longtime BGCAS Club Members along with team mentor/coach, Puataunofo Tulafono, BGCAS Student Services Director & Tier 1 National Trainer.
“Our mission at BGCAS is to inspire and enable young people, especially those who need us the most, to realize their full potential as productive, responsible, and caring citizens.
“We are not just helping our children formulate a plan for life after high school, but we are also developing the next generation of innovators and problem solvers to be leaders in the 21st century economy” said Mrs. Mary A.T. Tulafono, BGCAS Chairman of the Board of Directors & Chief Volunteer Officer.
“We are extremely honored and proud to represent American Samoa with an all-girl team at this prestigious event and to further our mission of empowering more young women in STEM-related fields,” she said.
The FIRST Global Challenge brings together high school-aged youth from over 190 countries for the world’s most international robotics competition. This year’s “Hydrogen Horizons” theme charges teams with building a robot and navigating it through a simulated environment to produce hydrogen and then store, transport, and convert energy.
During the competition, teams will work together in randomly selected multi-country alliances to score points, a practice which encourages global cooperation and fosters mutual understanding.
