Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Tweens create chessboard for the blind, inspired by mum
THE parents of a young coding and chess enthusiast are calling on members of the public to help make their son's dream to compete in an international robotics competition come true.
The boy, 11-year-old Jair February, and his two team members, Ryan Fortuin and Abigail Schubert, created and designed a one-of-a-kind chessboard that allows blind people to play the abstract strategy game.
The trio of preteens, who go by the name Team Checkmate, won the Western Cape First Lego League Competition in October for their innovation project and were selected to represent the province in the national tournament.
They then won again in the innovation category and were selected to represent South Africa at the First Lego League Asia Pacific Open Championship, which takes place in Australia from July 4 to 7.
The First Lego League is an annual global competition in which children in the 4 to 16 age group participate in challenges that showcase their Stem skills. Thousands of teams from across the world participate in the league, which has four components: Robot Design, Robot Run, Core Values and Innovation.
Jair's mom, Velindie February, who is the inspiration for the chessboard, shared how her son thought to pitch creating a chessboard for the blind to his team when they were asked to enter the First Lego League competition.
“It's a passion project also shines through,” February said. “When I lost my sight in 2018, our lives changed and as a mom, there were some things I could no longer do with my children. So for Jair to have thought to combine two of the things he loves and enjoys to create something we can share is amazing and I'm so proud of him.”
According to February, Jair had been taking chess classes at school, and coding lessons after school at a local robotics school, Booster Kids.
Jair said he'd fallen in love with
coding and robotics after struggling in his younger years to find an extracurricular activity he enjoyed and was good at.
He said: “I enjoy how much I can just be when it comes to coding – I'm allowed to let my ideas, no matter how quirky, come to life.
“With the First Lego League challenges, there are themes every year and this year within the Innovation category we were tasked to make something showcasing one of our hobbies and have it be a creation that we can get other people to use.
“My team and I decided to do a chessboard and, with the help of our coaches, a chessboard for blind people.
“We made a vertical perspex chess board with vinyl stickers so the players can feel the difference between the black and white squares. We put magnets in the pieces that would then stick on to the board as the players move them around,” Jair said.
Jair's coach at Booster Kids, Marlize Keyser, said while there was already a chess board for the blind in circulation, unlike Jair's team's board, it was not as accessible and was more difficult to use.
“With that board, both players need a board and you need to communicate your positions. However, the kids designed a board that works with magnets. So the pieces are joined with magnets. So when you move one side, the other side moves as well, and that's how Jair will then be able to play chess against his blind mom,” Keyser said.
“It's an amazing project and the team worked hard on it. So it would be amazing to get people to donate and support these kids.
“We have reached out to the premier's office and we're now awaiting feedback, but please, South Africa, support our team. First SA, the South African organisation that hosts these challenges, is an NGO and the public can donate straight to them under ‘The Checkmates',” Keyser said.
Western Cape Premier Alan Winde acknowledged Jair's team's innovative chessboard on his social media platforms, calling on the public to support them in their efforts to raise funds for their trip to Australia.
Jair's dad, Dale February, has continued to showcase the team's work on social media, calling on people, corporations and organisations to donate.
He said: “I'm very proud of my son. I have seen how hard his team worked. We need to raise R450 000 to take the three members with a parent each and their two coaches to Australia to represent South Africa. We have a BackaBuddy Fund: BK Robotics 2 Australia, and donors can also contribute directly to ABSA. Account Name: Booster Kids, BC: 632005, Account No: 4104803227 and Ref: CM2AUS or donors can email: boosterkidsza@gmail.com”