‘Lego Yuh Mind’ Brings Exciting World of Robotics to Young Jamaicans

Exposing at least one million young Jamaicans to the exciting and intricate discipline of robotics, regardless of their socio-economic background, is the objective of Halls of Learning Founder, Marvin Hall.

This, he believes, is crucial in building the knowledge-based economy, which is so critical to the country’s progress.

“I believe that our children must be exposed to the best the world has to offer. I have visited several countries over the world and you see children in those countries getting these experiences, and I feel that (our children) must not be left behind. They must be able to have at least a level playing field when they start to compete,” he argues.

The ambitious and talented Jamaican tells JIS News that he plans to achieve his target, "one child at a time".

To attain his goal, Mr. Hall is not simply wishing on stars, but has taken real and deliberate steps. Through his Halls of Learning company, founded in 2003, he has been offering hands-on learning experiences to Jamaican students, including those in the inner-cities, to allow them to playfully explore ideas in science and technology, including the thrilling world of robot configuration and programming, and art and mathematics.

Since 2004, the organisation’s ‘Lego Yuh Mind’ community outreach initiatives in Kingston, including summer and after school programmes, have served more than 1,300 students, awarding some 600 scholarships in the process.

The Halls of Learning robotics club, made up of young people participating in these initiatives, has won three awards at international competitions, with the most recent one coming out of a contest held in December 2011 in Massachusetts, United States.

According to Mr. Hall, the aim of the community outreach is to connect to those children, “who could not afford to pay for these experiences.”

“We offered scholarships to children in these communities and gave them the chance to participate in a high quality learning experience that was fun, playful and filled with exploration. The aim was to bring the programme into their communities and to give them the chance to experience a ‘Lego Yuh Mind’ programme,” he tells JIS News.

He informs that through the summer programme, in particular, “we aim to give over 120 scholarships to inner city students and we try to go to at least five communities at a time.” Riverton Meadows, Seaview Gardens, Tivoli Gardens, and Mountain View are just a few of the areas that Mr. Hall and his volunteers have taken the programme.

“We also recently did a programme at the Institute of Jamaica, where we invited children from the surrounding areas to participate,” he informs.

Not satisfied with reach of the summer programme, which is held once per year, Halls of Learning started ‘Lego Yuh Mind’ juniors “to expose a wider number of students and … gave them assisted experience right throughout the year,” Mr. Hall says.

Mr. Hall’s interest and desire to pass on robotics to local youths all started in early 2000 following a trip to Singapore, where he saw young people working on robots.

“I wanted to give my fellow Jamaicans an opportunity to enjoy some of the things that other young people across the globe take for granted,” he says.

 “Mr. Hall, who has a background in teaching, mathematics and computer science, has been using the LEGO building bricks, which many children use as toys, as an educational tool to assist young people to embrace the subjects of mathematics, science and technology.  He states that for the next generation of Jamaican engineers and scientists, an introduction to the world of robotics, through LEGO, is the perfect start, due to its seeming simplicity.

The educator’s most recent project to further introduce the programme to students across Jamaica is the “Lego Yuh Mind Day” initiative.

The project, which was launched in Kingston on February 29, is slated to run from March 2 to June 1, and will provide some 540 students, at 12 high schools in Kingston and St. Andrew, with hands-on learning experience in science, mathematics, technology and problem-solving through the building of autonomous robots.

“As they buy the (LEGO) pieces to build their robots, children will alternate roles of buyer, builder and coder. In groups of three, students will compete to maximise their total score from the challenge activities,” explains Mr. Hall.

He notes, however, that ‘Lego Yuh Mind Day' is only the beginning.

“We want to visit every school, in every parish of Jamaica, because our extremely ambitious goal is that we want one million Jamaican youth to know how to build and programme a robot,” he says.

Mr. Hall tells JIS News that the ‘Lego Yuh Mind’ initiative is simply his way of playing his part in the further development of Jamaica. He says his aim is to make a difference, not just in the lives of young Jamaicans, but in the advancement of his country.

"I am not comfortable with what our children have as options and I am doing my part to make a dent in that,” he declares. “I believe in Jamaica and the importance that Jamaica can have, in addition to what it already has on a global scale, and so doing this is an investment in that,” Mr. Hall adds.

Jones Town resident, 21-year-old Percival Robinson, has been a part of the 'Lego Yuh Mind' programme since 2005. He tells JIS News that the initiative has been a “life changing” experience for him and his peers.

“Being part of this programme has done great things for me. I love it and so far, it has been a great experience. I haven’t had a dull moment since I have been in the programme,” he says.

Percival further informs that the programme continues to challenge him and has opened up many opportunities for growth and development. “I was a part of one of the first teams to go to California (for a competition) and I won the judges award for my design,” he boasts.

Leighton Gray, who resides in Mountain View, says after leaving high school, he worked for a short time as a welder making grille gates, before getting involved with ‘Lego Yuh Mind’ and “since then there is no turning back.”

He informs that he has only been with the programme for three months and has already been helping to instruct and guide newcomers. “It is a natural love for me and it has helped me to develop my mind,” he says.

He advises fellow young people to stay out of trouble and to use their minds, skills and talents for the positive development of their country.

"Being home and not doing anything constructive means that chances are, you are going to end up on the wrong side of the law. At times, you are going to find things coming your way that you shouldn’t do, so the goal is to find something constructive to do that you can actually use to better yourself,” he advises.

State Minister for Science, Technology, Energy and Mining (STEM), Hon. Julian Robinson, commends Mr. Hall and his team of volunteers on what he describes as “tremendous work”.

He says that ‘Lego Yuh Mind Day’ is a welcomed initiative that will not only “challenge the minds of our young people and allow them to be creative” but will also allow us as a country…“to become innovators in technology, in that we can develop programmes that we can sell to the rest of the world."

Coordinator of the Governor-General’s ‘I Believe Initiative’, Nicholas Chambers, is also giving his full endorsement of the project, noting that it will not only expose children to the knowledge of robotics, but help them to realise and accept as true, that there is nothing beyond their reach.

"The consequence of this realisation is the achievement of quality and excellence in all aspects of their lives,” he states.

Mr. Chambers argues that if Jamaica is to keep pace with the rapid changes and advancements in technology, then the youth of the country will have to be fully exposed to all that happens across the globe.

By Athaliah Reynolds-Baker, JIS Reporter