EIGHTY young innovators from Portmore communities spent five days building, coding and imagining the future at the 2026 Supreme Ventures Foundation’s (SVF) annual Junior Creators Robotics Camp, held August 10-14 under the theme ‘Build the Future’.

Hosted on the grounds of Caymanas Park, the camp welcomed students from Waterford Primary School, Gregory Park Primary School, and Bridgeport Primary School, alongside children of Supreme Ventures staff.

The programme placed children aged nine to 12 at the centre of a high-energy science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) experience designed to build the skills, confidence and creative thinking that can support their educational journeys and future careers.

Facilitated by Marvin Hall, of Halls of Learning, the camp challenged participants to think through five practical, team-based activities. Students rotated through a new challenge each day, gaining hands-on exposure to artificial intelligence, robotics, coding and wearable technology.

By the end of the five-day programme, students had gained practical experience in training an artificial intelligence model to recognise patterns and make predictions; designing and coding playable games using a free app developed at MIT; building and programming robotic solutions to real-world problems; pitching their ideas as young innovators; creating sensor-based contraptions that responded to their surroundings; and programming wearable technologies, including step counters and movement-responsive light-up badges.

Heather Goldson, executive director of the Supreme Ventures Foundation, said she was pleased with the camp’s continued growth and impact.

“Every year, this camp reminds us why the foundation does this work,” Goldson said.

Heather Goldson (standing, fourth left), executive director of Supreme Ventures Foundation (SVF), engages with young learners as they work on their tablets at the SVF Junior Creators Robotics Camp. Joining her are Stefan Miller (second left), CEO of Supreme Ventures Gaming; Kathryn Spencer (right), AVP Customer Experience at SVL; and facilitators from Halls of Learning.

“When we first conceptualised this camp in 2016, our vision was simple but powerful: to expose young Jamaicans to the exciting world of STEM in a creative environment that encourages imagination, innovation and collaboration.

“Since then, we have proudly provided hundreds of children across Jamaica with opportunities to explore robotics, coding, LEGO engineering and other areas of STEM,” added Goldson.

Commenting on this year’s campers, Goldson expressed satisfaction with their development over the course of the week.

“It is a pleasure to see the growth in these children over just five days, and to know that some of them will carry these experiences forward into real careers is exactly the kind of impact we set out to create,” she said.

Hall echoed this sentiment, noting that the camp’s true impact is best measured by the students whose interest in STEM blossoms beyond the week-long programme.

He pointed to two former campers who have since returned to the programme as facilitators.

Heather Goldson (left), executive director of the Supreme Ventures Foundation; and Marvin Hall, founder, Halls of Learning; flank the top four campers at the SVF Junior Creators Robotics Camp (from second left) Kamalei Gordon, Aquan Downer, Jalen Morris, and Tanice Webster, as they celebrate their awards. 

“What the camp has shown me is that if you do something in a child’s life, it can change their trajectory,” Hall said.

“It does not mean that they will learn everything they need to know, but they gain the inspiration to see a positive outcome in their lives and a broader horizon than they may have seen otherwise. For them to continue to develop and then return to give back shows the full-circle impact of the programme itself.” Added Hall.

Beyond the core robotics curriculum, campers also benefited from a financial literacy session with Carlton Stewart, host of
Let’s Talk Money, Kids! on
CVM TV, and a youth-development session with RISE Life Management Services focused on underage gambling prevention.

Caymanas Park proved to be a fitting and multi-purpose venue for this year’s camp. In addition to hosting the week’s STEM sessions, the property gave students an opportunity to learn about horses through a guided tour of the park and stables.

The camp culminated in an awards ceremony recognising outstanding participants. The top four achievers each received educational grants valued at $50,000 to support their continued learning and development.

Now in its tenth year, the Junior Creators Robotics Camp has become a defining part of the Supreme Ventures Foundation’s youth-development legacy.

Its 2026 staging also formed part of Supreme Ventures’ 25th anniversary celebrations, reinforcing the group’s long-standing investment in Jamaica’s young people and their potential to shape the country’s future.