Santa Clara, California: August 18, 2018 – The N.C.B. Foundation (NCBF) announces its US$5,000 sponsorship of the Palisadoes Foundation’s third annual Calico Challenge. This demonstrates NCBF’s commitment to nation building by strengthening all levels of Jamaican education through a partnership that provides practical experience to students in using cutting edge STEM methodologies which are vital to the country’s international competitiveness in the field. Further, this marks the successful alliance between NCB Jamaica Ltd., the Jamaica Computing Society, the Palisadoes Foundation, the UWI Computing Society and the University of Technology IEEE Student Branch.
The Calico Challenge is a summer work study program for computer science students in Jamaica. Each selected student works on enhancing open source software used internationally under the guidance of a Jamaican mentor. Participating students receive US$1,500 for their successful progress. This stipend is incrementally paid based upon the achievement of specified milestones. Calico is also a feeder program for the similar Google Summer of Code.
NCBF’scontribution was used to both fund student stipends and special awards, which will be announced at a later date.
“The N.C.B. Foundation shares our goal of developing a stronger nation by providing new opportunities for the growing Jamaican technical workforce.” said Peter Harrison, President of the Palisadoes Foundation, “This support proves once again how Jamaicans collaborating around the world can positively advance education and the country’s emerging engineering leadership.”
More information can be found on the Palisadoes Foundation website: http://www.palisadoes.org
About the Calico Challenge
Calico was conceived by The Palisadoes Foundation in conjunction with the Jamaica Diaspora Technology Task Force. There has been close technical collaboration between the Foundation; the University of the West Indies (UWI) Department of Computing, Mona; the UWI Computing Society; and the University of Technology IEEE Students Branch to identify open source projects, student sub-projects and mentors.
About the N.C.B. Foundation
The Foundation was formalized in 2003 as the philanthropic arm of the country’s largest home-grown bank, National Commercial Bank Jamaica Limited. It provides opportunities for future generations to lead wisely and participate meaningfully to Jamaica’s development.
The Foundation invests in scholarships at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels and funds various educational programmes across the island. It also helps to improve the physicalconditions of schools to create safe and healthy environments that encourage learning.
Youth entrepreneurship is another focus area with the Foundation partnering with several skills-based projects to enhance trainee skills in data entry, IT training and small cottage industry development.
The Foundation supports programmes that develop the leadership skills in Jamaica’s youth and encourage active citizenship.
About the Palisadoes Foundation
The California-based Palisadoes Foundation aims to provide new avenues of promoting Jamaica’s technology businesses and talent by using a series of programs which create increased awareness of the island’s abilities in the global marketplace.
About the University of Technology IEEE Student Branch
Like the IEEE, the branch’s core purpose is to foster technological innovation and excellence for the benefit of humanity. It is the first IEEE student branch to be registered in Jamaica and meets regularly to develop the young minds that will create a better Jamaica.
About the UWI Computing Society
The vision for this society is to become a launching pad for the development and exposure of the computing students of the University of the West Indies, with particular focus on undergraduate students. This Society is also envisioned to be a medium by which the university population and the wider society may become more computer literate as well as educated in the efficient use of ICT in the industry and the wider society.
About the Jamaica Diaspora Technology Task Force
The Jamaica Diaspora Technology Task Force is a group of expatriate Jamaicans interested in assisting in the continued development of new and existing technologies in Jamaica. It is a member of the Jamaica Diaspora Movement