Trinidad: Adventist team wins regional competition to participate at Microsoft Imagine Cup annual international finals

July 4, 2011 – Port of Spain, Trinidad…Del Charles/Charlie Ann St. Cyr/IAD

Three students from University of the Southern Caribbean, an Adventist institution, will join more than 400 of the most ingenious and innovative minds from across the globe for Microsoft’s Imagine Cup Finals in New York, July 8-13, 2011.

Raees Rahim from Trinidad, Jasmine Farley from Guyana, and Donald Modeste Jr. from Grenada, won the regional leg of the competition in May with their conceptualized software geared toward meeting the United Nations’ goal for achieving universal primary education. The team known as CODEC, created a software project called EduVatec, which is short for Elevating Education through Technology.

According to Rodney Rajkumar, who heads the Department of Computer Science, School of Sciences and Technology at USC, this software project will help to strengthen the tripartite agreement in education between parents, teachers and students.

“The software allows for better communication between parents, teachers and students by utilizing game-oriented teaching tools, and other features, designed to motivate the student,” said Modeste Jr.

The winning students were promised internships in top IT companies in the country, with stipends from the Government of Trinidad and Tobago, university officials said. In addition, the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Science, Technology and Tertiary Education, and Ministry of Public Administration will recognize the Adventist university students achievements soon.

Currently in its nine year, The Microsoft Imagine Cup Competition gives students a chance to share their ideas for making the world a better place. The Imagine Cup World Festival and Awards Ceremony will take place on July 13, 2011 in New York City, USA.

Fans, supporters and friends of USC can be look for updates on the team’s progress by visiting their Facebook page at facebook.com/teamcodec.

To vote for CODEC, in the People’s Choice Award category, fans may also visit the imagine cup website at: imaginecup.com/pca