St John’s, Antigua (Jan 19, 2024) – The Caribbean Youth Environment Network (CYEN – www.cyen.org) is
inviting students (8 – 19 years old) from across Antigua and Barbuda to form teams (minimum of 3 –
maximum of 5) and register at www.brighthack.org by January 31, 2024 to represent their schools in a
category for the upcoming BRIGHT Hack Plastic Challenge; with a chance to win cash, gift cards,
electronics and a chance to compete in the FIRST Global 2024 Robotics Challenge.
This hybrid edition of the BRIGHT: (B)oosting (R)enewables and (I)nfrastructure (G)lobally by
(H)arnessing (T)echnology hackathon event is being done with support from The Basel Convention
Regional Centre for Training and Technology Transfer for the Caribbean (“the BCRC-Caribbean”)
www.bcrc-caribbean.org which is executing the Global Environment Facility (GEF) funded project,
entitled “Implementing Sustainable Low and Non-Chemical Development in Small Island Developing
States (ISLANDS)” which seeks to address the sound management of chemicals and waste in Least
Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
National Coordinator for CYEN in Antigua and Barbuda – Mr. Elijah James explains: the intent of this
Hackathon is to inform the general public; while inspiring entrepreneurship amongst youth in Antigua
and Barbuda through STEM education using robotics; on the sound management of chemicals, harmful
waste by raising awareness on plastic pollution through the global Tide Turners movement – www.tide-
turners.org
Student teams will be required to download the Tide Turners App from the mobile stores to learn how
the problem of plastic pollution is negatively affecting our environment.
Android – https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.tideturners.app
iOS – https://apps.apple.com/it/app/tide-turners/id6449464570
They will utilize the information learnt to participate in virtual weekly brainstorm challenges which
begins – February 1, 2024 to help inspire robotic ideas on waste management. The best teams will move
on to showcase their innovative ideas in the Challenge Finals which ends – February 29, 2024 to present
their robotic solutions to be judged and awarded prizes.
Hackathons are unique competition events that bring individuals or teams together in rapid innovation
and collaborative engineering to brainstorm business solutions to problems being faced by
communities. They are also a great way to network, learn new skills or even just make new friends with
similar interests.
The initial BRIGHT Hack FinTech Challenge was held in September 2023 under the theme – How Can We
Improve Financial Infrastructure? with support from the US Embassy Bridgetown, UWI Five Islands, ECCB
and the Bankers Association which saw over $10,000 in prizes being awarded to student teams from –
the Seventh Day Adventist School, UWI, Antigua State College and ABITT.
To learn more contact the organizers at – registration@brighthack.org
