FEMALE students from Denham Town and Tivoli Gardens high schools in western Kingston were treated to a full day of hands-on learning, collaboration, and innovation at the crossroads of technology and environmental action on Wednesday through Digicel Foundation in partnership with STEM Spark Solutions.

The two entities hosted a Girls in ICT Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Climate Change Hackathon at Denham Town High School, where female students from the two schools were united.

The hackathon built on Digicel Foundation’s Girls in ICT initiative — a sustained commitment to closing the gender gap in technology by providing young women with the skills, confidence, and real-world exposure they need to thrive in a digital world.

Throughout the day, participants discovered how AI can be applied to pressing climate challenges, from forecasting extreme weather events and tracking environmental shifts to developing community-driven solutions for climate resilience.

Digicel Foundation CEO Charmaine Daniels spoke to the urgency of bringing girls into the AI space.

“We are at a pivotal moment in history where artificial intelligence is reshaping every industry, every profession, and every aspect of daily life. If we do not intentionally bring our girls into this space now, we risk leaving an entire generation behind. Exposing girls to AI and ICT is about giving them the tools to protect their families, their communities, and their environment. That is exactly what today is about,” said Daniels.

Central to this year’s hackathon was the theme of disaster preparedness, one that struck close to home for many participants, having lived through the destruction of Category 5 Hurricane Melissa last October.

Students examined how AI can be deployed before, during, and after such events to strengthen early warning systems, coordinate emergency response, and support communities in rebuilding.

Engineer and STEM Spark Solutions CEO Dianne Plummer reflected on what drove the hackathon’s design.

“These girls know what it feels like when a Category 5 hurricane tears through your neighbourhood, when the lights go out, the roads flood, and the community is left to piece itself back together. What we wanted to show them today is that AI gives us the power to prepare better, respond faster, and recover smarter,” said Plummer.

“When a young woman from Tivoli or Denham Town can build a climate model or design an early warning system, she becomes part of the solution,” added Plummer.

The spirit in the room spoke for itself, as participants threw themselves into the challenge with energy, creativity, and a clear sense of purpose.

For Ameerah Burke, a grade 9 student at Denham Town High, the day marked her first real introduction to AI, and it was one she won’t soon forget.

“When they showed us how AI can predict where a storm will hit and help plan where people should go, it made me think differently about what I can do. We went through a hurricane, and I remember how scary it was not knowing what was coming. If AI can help with that, I want to be one of the people who builds those systems,” said Burke.

Digicel Foundation CEO Charmaine Daniels interacting with students during an AI and Climate Change Hackathon hosted by the foundation and STEM Spark Solutions on Wednesday for students at Tivoli Gardens and Denham Town high schools.