Team Costa Rica 2017

As part of the celebrations of the 10th anniversary of the American Corner program in the Limón Public Library, Major Benjamin Thomas Lynch, a joint effort with the U.S. Embassy in Costa Rica, a group of youth people from different universities and high schools of the province showed the results of a Lego robotics based project that ran for a few months before this celebration.

The presentation caught the eye of many people in a series including Mr. Stafford Fitzgerald Haney, ambassador of the U.S. in Costa Rica, who got a video showcasing the event on their social media, and reached Mr. Joe Sestak at First Global Challenge. The Public Library and the American Corner got contacted with an invitation right away, and we were more than glad to put all efforts required to be part of this worldwide event.

The team is comprised by students Joustin Romero Umaña, Daniel Castillo Acevedo, and Johary Hunter Maxwell and by mentor Engr. David Mora Fonseca.

Joustin, our team captain, is 15 years old. Born and raised in Limón, Costa Rica to Geovanni Romero Morales and Priscilla Umaña González. He studies at Instituto Pedagógico Sagrada Familia currently in the 9th grade. He has participated in other robotics clubs also sponsored by the Public Library. In his free time, he practices sports, specially basketball and indoor football. He loves music and is part of the SINEM CUN Limón Orchestra where he learns and plays the French horn, guitar and bass guitar. Ever since childhood he has been developing the skills that holds him at the doors of this challenge.

Johary, in charge of the spokesmen position in the team, is 14 years old. Another native of Puerto Limón, Costa Rica, to Gregory H. and Yannicia M. whom noticed in him a great interest for Legos and motor based games at his early years. Today, he enjoys of sports playing basketball for the J.M Limón Sharks team along with music, video games, and the company of his friends. Also showing that far from being just a stage in his childhood, disassembling is remote controlled toys and the basic programming of robots is a continued interest in his life. He studies at Centro Educativo San Marcos.

Daniel is also 14 years old, and is student at Liceo Diurno de Limón. He has participated in robotics clubs and other similar events during the last 4 years.

David Mora is a computer engineering professor at Tecnológico de Costa Rica where he teaches topics that range from basic programming introductory classes to advanced quality assurance, project management and computer engineering topics. Is currently working on the final dissertation for achieving a master’s degree in Technical Education. He is interested in topics such as machine learning, big data, and data sciences in the engineering side, and the application of technology to improve pedagogy in the education end. He is also a musician, a video game fan, anime lover, language enthusiast, and sports practitioner; well, at least when there is time to spare for one of them.

They all head to this challenge with great interest, burning passion, excitement and huge expectations to show every person assisting to the First Global Challenge what Ticos are all about, what Limón people is able to achieve, and, most of all, what it means to live the ¡PURA VIDA!



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