The Imagine Cup, a global competition sponsored by Microsoft, enables young people to use their imagination, innovation and savvy information technology skills to create technology-based solutions that will make a difference in the world.


In 2007, the Imagine Cup focused on education. Not daunted by size and propelled by audacity, a group of Jamaican students (young men -- yes young men) from the Northern Caribbean University, made it to the top three. The students Damion Mitchell, Ayson Baxter, Conroy Smith and Imran Allie created CADI, an e-learning program that would provide real time human language translation of a classroom lecture or presentation. Can you imagine- a student in Mozambique listening in real time and in Portuguese, to a lecture being delivered in Jamaica at the University of the West Indies - Africa Unite! Talk about a Flat World. Nuff Respect to the CADI team!


There are three lessons:

1. Education 2.0 with its virtual hub of web-based services and applications has given and continues to provide viable alternatives to the traditional form of learning delivery.
2. Jamaica contains a talent pool that the world should pay attention to (these are not my words, but of Joe Wilson, Microsoft—watch the video).
3. Never let our small size fool you.

Karelle Samuda
Co-Chair
Institute of Caribbean Studies Youth Programs & Initiatives