Belizean Students Recognized for Innovative Product to Assist Visually Impaired

Now that the excitement for the students is sinking in, the team will be looking at how to develop their product to be used in Belize.  The Smartz Stick is a product that is developed to detect obstacles for the visually impaired.  With the championship on their belt, the students are motivated to venture further into robotics. Abraham Flowers, leader of Pallotti’s Rotech team, spoke on the large leap that the young ladies have made for Pallotti as it relates to robotics.

Abraham Flowers, Teacher: “When they announced our name last night some of the students started to cry and that really let me recognize that the students actually did well and that they have made a huge step in not only fortifying something in Pallotti but also fortifying for other females to move forward and giving them the encouragement to actually move forward in robotics and technology as well.”

The invention was acknowledged not only by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Science and Technology but also by the Belize Council for the Visually Impaired (BCVI). Acting Vice Principal, Rushawn Reynolds, spoke to love news about their partnership with the BCVI.

Rushawn Reynolds, Acting Vice Principal, Pallotti High School:“So yes we have already met with BCVI before the girls left for Panama and they have already identified some of the visually impaired people who are so excited to try this SMARTZ Blind Stick and Glass and they intend to also assist the girls in any way that they can and to form a partnership because this is a very good invention that will change the way that visually impaired people can get around in their community.”

According to Reynolds, the school is looking a revised curriculum to include science and technology. The “Competency- based framework” curriculum aims at providing students the opportunity to venture into robotics.