BASSETERRE: Four Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College students have claimed victory at the 2026 Caribbean STEM Olympiad, defeating teams from Jamaica, Belize, and Guyana with an innovative platform designed to transform the government’s ASPIRE Programme.
Josiah Davis, Fraimer De La Cruz, Nathan Lewis, and Nikhal Dore—all members of the College’s inaugural AI and Coding Club—developed a comprehensive digital solution that reimagines how Caribbean youth engage with investing and financial literacy.
The winning idea emerged from personal frustration. “A few years ago, I received $1,000 through a government program in Saint Kitts and Nevis. But that investment money was just sitting there,” team member Nikhal Dore explained during their presentation. “I had no idea what it was invested in, what investing really meant, or whether my stocks were going up or down.”
Their enhanced ASPIRE platform features “Sparky,” a fully functional AI chatbot that serves as an investment companion, answering portfolio-specific questions and providing personalized guidance. The system also includes a CARICOM-centric marketplace, interactive learning modules, competitive leaderboards, and educational games.
Judges praised the concept as “well put-together with tremendous potential.” The team, guided by lecturer Enoete Inanga, worked for months developing the proof-of-concept platform.
The Caribbean STEM Olympiad, hosted by the Caribbean Science Foundation, ran from January 12-18, 2026. The team was formally recognized at the Awards and Closing Ceremony on January 18.
Their innovation demonstrates how existing government initiatives can be enhanced through technology to create powerful tools for regional financial education.