Tancredo Neves Technical School wins I Amazon Robotics Challenge
Selvatech team was the grand champion of the tournament
The I Amazon Robotics Challenge, held at the Usina da Paz in Cabanagem on Saturday afternoon (28), promoted by the State Government through the Secretary of Science, Technology and Higher, Professional and Technological Education (Sectet), with support from the Guamá Foundation and the Federal University of Pará (UFPA), was marked by emotion, creativity, and a lot of technology. The Selvatech team from the Pará Technical School (EETEPA Tancredo Neves) in Ananindeua was the grand champion of the tournament.
The first place went to a project focused on the reuse of rainwater for human consumption, using a low-cost filter for riverside communities, developed by the Selvatech team. The second place went to the Parabots team from EETEPA Professor Francisco das Chagas Ribeiro Azevedo, located in the Icoaraci district, which brought a project on the reuse of organic matter to transform it into biofuel, creating a biodigester for use in rural communities.
The third place went to Nexus, also from EETEPA Tancredo Neves, which reused PET bottle material to create musical instruments through 3D printing. An idea that seeks to benefit riverside communities by repurposing the waste thrown into rivers and islands.
Present at the event, the Secretary of Science, Technology and Higher, Professional and Technological Education, Victor Dias, highlighted the importance of robotics in schools and its role in training more conscious youth. “Valuing robotics in schools is investing in critical thinking, problem-solving, and, above all, in sustainable solutions for the environment. This challenge showed that our youth are ready to think about the Amazon with intelligence and commitment to the future,” he stated.
Roann Almeida, a student in the computer technical course and a member of the Selvatech team, spoke enthusiastically about the victory. “It was an intense journey. We dedicated ourselves a lot to the project, and seeing all of this being recognized is an immense joy. Our rainwater filter is simple, but it can change lives. This shows that technology can be accessible and useful. We are very happy and want to dedicate this victory to our teacher Jean Vasconcelos for all the support and dedication,” he declared.
Meanwhile, student Emilli Sousa, who came in second place from the Parabots team, emphasized the importance of competitions like these for the environment. “It was an incredible opportunity for personal and collective development because each stage requires teamwork, creativity, patience, and, of course, a lot of practical learning. The challenge provided us the opportunity to take our project to be a sustainable alternative for the environment,” she states.
Natalia Barbosa, a participant in the Nexus team project, which came in third place, says that participating was very rewarding. “Using PET bottles and transforming them into filaments for printing musical instruments is combating cultural exclusion, pollution to the environment, and technological inequalities,” she said.
In addition to the practical tests, the audience present could check out the special itinerant edition of the Science and Technology Caravan, with interactive booths, educational activities, and presentations of the projects developed by the finalist teams, all focused on the sustainability of the Amazon. The integration of science, education, and socio-environmental commitment transformed the space into a true knowledge fair.
Among the many visitors who attended the event was Dona Beatriz Machado, 91 years old, who made a point of following her great-granddaughter's participation in the competition. Enchanted by what she saw, she commented: “I never imagined seeing something like this. Robots? In my time, that was something from the movies. I am enchanted by everything I saw. What a beautiful thing to see young people thinking and creating for the good of nature,” she says.
Text by Carla Couto / Ascom Sectet
