Covid-19 Relief Fundraising Campaign for
Ocean Academy High School, Caye Caulker, Belize, C.A.

Recent Student Achievements

FirstGLOBAL Robotics, Mexico City, August 2018

When O.A. first opened in 2008, we had no computer lab and relied on donated laptops. Now in Technology, 16-year old Daniela represented Team Belize at the FIRST Global Robotics Olympics August 16-18. The students assembled and coded a robot capable of lifting small boxes and glass panels and twisting a handle on the game field with the theme of “Energy Impact”. Belize placed 106/161 countries and won a Safety Award. Upon her return to Belize, Daniela visited elementary schools to show younger children what is possible in Science and Technology.

Daniela and her I.T. teacher Mr. Tzub led Team Belize to the FIRST Global Robotics Olympics August 16-18. The kit arrived in June, and students had to build and code a robot capable of lifting small boxes and glass panels and twisting a handle on the game field with the theme of “Energy Impact”. 182 countries signed up, and 161 teams competed in the three-day Olympics. Daniela was the flag bearer for Team Belize. An added twist is that countries were randomly matched together into Village Alliances and had to strategize and work together in the competition. Each game lasted 2:30 minutes and the team robots had to lift and carry and twist game pieces that represented solar panels, energy cubes, wind turbines. Belize placed 106/161

The Ocean Academy Finance Wise Team won First Place in the Innovation Challenge competing against 15 high schools in the Belize District (third First Place win in five years)!

Congratulations to students Preston Smith, Lupita Aldana, Daniela Novelo, Vincent Sotz, and Alejandro Arias-Perez, and mentors Janel Cayetano and Florence Goldson.The O.A. Finance Wise team competed against 15 high schools in the Belize District to address the need for increased financial literacy in Belize. Their solution includes the students serving as Financial Advisors to guide their peers to create budgets and plans for funding post-graduation goals (University, Trade Certifications, Small Businesses) through one-on-one sessions, original YouTube videos, a website, and a mobile app. They plan to reach younger students through games and adults through community workshops. They won first place in both categories of the competition: the solution presentation and the infomercial.

Graduate Kyle Requena is guiding for international Fly Fishing Guide Services.

“I loved my fly fishing, kayaking and scuba electives at OA and won a National Youth in Tourism Award. Now I have my Tour Guide license and freelance as a fishing guide for several operators.” Kyle learned to fly fish and the foundations of guiding at O.A. as part of instructor Haywood Curry’s fly fishing class. He now enjoys a successful career guiding for outfitters including Haywood’s Anglers Abroad at Sea Dreams Hotel, Chasing Tail, and Yellow Dog Fly Fishing.

Thirteen Ocean Academy students completed a rigorous, two-week Networking Course delivered by seven industry experts from Digital Silence in Colorado.

Justin Whitehead, CEO of Digital Silence, described the OA students as “incredibly talented, driven, enthusiastic learners who passed an exam designed for a University-level course. We are so impressed with students as young as 13 having maturity, focus, and passion for technology. We will definitely return to teach more OA students!” Two OA students have already taken this knowledge to the community and set up a computer system at the local police department.