Applications are now open for the JamCoders summer camp, a high-impact national initiative designed to equip Jamaican high school students with advanced skills in algorithms, programming, and computational thinking.

The intensive summer programme targets students from third to fifth form, selected from high schools across Jamaica based on academic potential and demonstrated interest in computing and problem-solving. Since its launch, JamCoders has emerged as a significant pipeline for nurturing future leaders in technology, engineering and the sciences.

Now in its fourth year, the JamCoders Summer Camp has trained nearly 200 students from across the island over the past four summers. The programme was first launched in the summer of 2022 at The University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona campus, where it continues to be hosted.

Participants follow a rigorous daily schedule that mirrors the structure of leading international computing camps. Students attend two one-hour lectures in the morning and afternoon, followed by three hours of hands-on programming in each session. This immersive format enables participants to rapidly build fluency in algorithms, coding and analytical problem-solving.

JamCoders was conceived by Jamar McNaughton, internationally acclaimed Jamaican reggae artiste Chronixx, whose vision was inspired by the AddisCoder programme in Ethiopia. After learning of AddisCoder’s impact, the Chronixx team made a founding donation through the Caring Hands of Rastafari (CHOR) Foundation, supporting the establishment of a similar initiative in Jamaica.

The programme is coordinated by Dr Daniel Fokum, senior lecturer in computer science in the Department of Computing, Faculty of Science and Technology at UWI Mona, and Professor Jelani Nelson of the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences at the University of California, Berkeley, and founder of AddisCoder, Inc.

“JamCoders is about exposing Jamaican students to rigorous computer science at an early stage and showing them that they are capable of competing at the highest international level. The camp is intentionally intensive, because that is what builds confidence, discipline, and real problem-solving skills,” Fokum said.

“By bringing this programme to UWI Mona, we are creating a bridge between secondary education and world-class computing training, while giving students a clear vision of what is possible in science and technology careers,” he added.

JamCoders is modelled directly on the AddisCoder programme, founded by Professor Nelson in Ethiopia and co-organised in partnership with the Meles Zenawi Foundation, with support from the Ethiopian government.

The AddisCoder model has a strong track record. Many of its alumni have gone on to pursue PhDs in computer science, mathematics, applied mathematics, mechanical engineering, and electrical and computer engineering, and have worked at leading global technology companies, including Microsoft, Google and Facebook. Others have progressed to prestigious universities such as Harvard, MIT and Stanford.

By adapting this proven model to the Jamaican context, JamCoders aims to position local students for similar global opportunities, while strengthening Jamaica’s long-term capacity in science, technology and innovation.

The JamCoders Summer Camp continues to offer a rare opportunity for motivated Jamaican students to receive world-class training at no cost, guided by leading academics and grounded in a programme with internationally recognised outcomes.

Applications may be submitted online at https://apply.jamcoders.org.jm/apply/.