Pallotti’s Visually Impaired Tech Wins Gold at Regional Competition
On Friday night, we were at the airport for the arrival of the STEM team from Pallotti High School that won gold at the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Challenge in Panama. Today, the school held a motorcade for the team to celebrate the victory. We visited the high school to learn more about the all-girl STEM team and to find out more about the inspiration behind their development. They also shared some of their plans for the future in the field and how they hope to continue making a positive impact on the world they live in. News Five’s Paul Lopez reports.
Paul Lopez, Reporting
Pallotti High School organized a motorcade through the streets of Belize City today to celebrate its team of students who won gold at the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Challenge which took place in Panama last week. The team, comprising of four students, came out on top with their Smartz Stick and Smartz Glasses for the visually impaired. Osvani Magana is a second form student who has had a passion for science since childhood.
Osvani Magana
Osvani Magana, Second Form Student, Pallotti High School
“Since from primary school, science is something I find very fascinating. Science is like magic. Science has many things to it, new things you learn. I am very connected to science. I like it very much. One of my goals is to go study science abroad and make a career out of it, since it is something I really like. I really give my respect to those who are doctors and to those who are in the science fields. I look up to them and I think that is what connects me to them. It’s something I really like.”
At the start of the next school year, Magana will have an opportunity to select a major for the remaining two years of high school. She has already decided that she will pursue a major in science. Her teammate, Amber Wright, is a fourth form student majoring in history. She admits that competing in a STEM challenge was a pursuit outside of her comfort zone. But, she is now inspired to become a role model for girls in STEM.
Amber Wright
Amber Wright, Fourth Form Student, Pallotti High School
“I at first was hesitant but I did not know anything about IT or anything. So I never thought I would have been able to come to this competition and that I would be here today. It really made me feel accomplished because I was able to be a part of this big group and I will like to as well more take IT as a side quest and further it when I am older and also especially with girls in technology, this could better them and I could become a role model for them. Other teams had full males had full males, or mostly males. For us we are all females, all girls. And, this is a comfortable space, they could see that anyone, it doesn’t matter the gender, they can be how we are today.”
The innovative Smartz Glass and Stick were inspired by the girls’ interactions with a visually impaired student who graduated from the high school earlier this year. Team Member Alair Marin explained.
Alair Marin
Alair Marin, Fourth Form Student, Pallotti High School
“For all of us, in our school a recent Pallotti graduate, she suffered with the issue of visual impairment. She had that issue and that is what enlightened us and what made us want to do this, because we saw her struggles and wanted to come together as a team and help her, because we knew that it was difficult, not only for her, but for everyone struggling with this issue. That is why we came together and decided to create this specific project. The device we have is the prototype but we are planning to improve it so that it can have many different parts so that it can become way much better for those who are visually impaired.”
The high school’s tech team already has a meeting scheduled with the Belize Council for Visually Impaired (BCVI) to talk about developing the products further. According to Acting Vice-Principal, Rushawn Reynolds, individuals have already been identified to participate in the trial process.
Rushawn Reynolds
Rushawn Reynolds, Acting Vice-Principal, Pallotti High School
“When we met with the head of the BCVI, Mrs Musa, she informed us that you know, the point is not to replace the white cane, because it is used universally. However, with the blind stick and blind glass it can be used in certain settings to help the visually impaired move around much easier and when we visited there, the girls had visited there, I took them along, they had already identified who will be doing the trials and the visually impaired, and they are very excited about it.”
Loretta Tillett is the homeroom teacher for fourth form students Alair Marin and Amber Wright. Tillett is tasked with steering these bright minds towards deeper knowledge and understanding inside the classroom. Today, she is filled with an immense sense of pride and joy.
Loretta Tillett
Loretta Tillett, Teacher, Pallotti High School
“It is a tremendous feeling of happiness to see that your work with them really has paid off over the years and to see that what they really had inside to bring out. So, their achievement becomes our achievement. That is the greatest reward as a teacher.”
Irian Jones
Irian Jones, Third Form Student, Pallotti High School
“I think working together as a team, team work is, I underestimated teamwork at first, but this competition really brought us together and bonded our friendship. So, teamwork is just coming together and learning to work with one another and to produce this device.”
Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.
