NASSAu, BAHAMAS- Scores of young people from the Free Town constituency participated in hands-on robotics and coding instruction during the first ever Free Town S T E A M Camp held this past weekend. The program was led by Lincoln Deal II, Free National Movement Candidate for the Free Town constituency.
Free Town has one of the largest youth populations among constituencies and parents have consistently voiced the need for more structured opportunities that expose their children to emerging fields and future careers.
The camp introduced students to robotics, basic coding, engineering concepts, creative problem solving and teamwork. Students built functioning robots, wrote lines of code and completed innovation challenges that allowed them to experience technology not just as consumers, but as creators. The program was facilitated by S T E A M expert and instructor Kelly and was offered at no cost to all participating families.
The camp was hosted at Crypto Isle on East Bay Street and supported by local S T E A M educators and community volunteers who assisted with instruction and student engagement.
S T E A M stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics. These disciplines represent some of the fastest growing job sectors worldwide and are connected to economic mobility and national development.
Deal said the program was organized in direct response to community feedback.
“Too many young Bahamians grow up believing that innovation only happens somewhere else and that technology is something they use, not something they can create,” Deal said. “Parents in Free Town have asked for more opportunities for their children to learn, grow and succeed.”
Deal emphasized that the initiative was designed to ensure access and inclusion.
“People learn differently and paths are different. That is why we meet students where they are,” Deal added. “We did not simply teach robotics. We built confidence, curiosity and belief. Every child left knowing: I can build, I can create, I can solve problems.”
Kelly, the camp’s lead facilitator, praised the students’ engagement and initiative.
“These students were thinking like engineers by the end of the session. Exposure builds confidence and confidence builds possibility,” she said.
Parents expressed strong support for the initiative. One parent shared, “My child came home saying they want to be an engineer. They have never had access to anything like this.”
Deal announced that the S T E A M Camp is the first step toward a larger long term vision for the constituency: the launch of the Free Town Innovation Hub, a year round learning space where students can continue developing skills in robotics, advanced coding, website development, digital animation and entrepreneurship.
“We are not just hosting events. We are building a culture of innovation in Free Town,” Deal said. “The Bahamas is not short on talent. The Bahamas is short on opportunity.”
The initiative is non political, community centered and open to every family in Free Town.
