OTTAWA, ON and LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM--(Marketwired - Mar 27, 2014) - Columbus International Inc. (Columbus), a diversified telecommunications provider in the Caribbean, Central America and Andean region, announced today it has partnered with Cubes In Space™, a no-cost global design competition for students aged 11-14 years old to develop STEM-based experiments for launch into space. This as part of a unique collaboration with Rubik Learning Initiative, idoodlesoftware inc. and NASA's Wallops Flight Facility to commemorate the 40th Anniversary of the Rubik's Cube.
Leveraging the excitement of space exploration, the Cubes In Space program offers students and educators the opportunity to learn about the methodology of taking an idea from design through the review process. Students of the Caribbean will compete to have their experiments launched into space with the payload to be returned to the students for analysis.
Columbus will promote the competition in schools as part of its continued commitment to enhancing technology and education in the region through its education partner, The Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC). The Cubes In Space program is a partnership between Rubik Learning Initiative, the Colorado Space Grant Consortium's RockSat-C program, idoodlesoftware inc., and supported by the Sounding Rocket Program Office at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility.
"Columbus is our perfect partner for this science-based design competition in the Caribbean", said Amber Agee-DeHart, Founder of the Cubes In Space program. "Their commitment to education reflects the goals of our endeavour -- to help teachers bring engaging and exciting curricula to the classroom and to give students the tools to look at the world with a more creative and inquisitive mind."
Rhea Yaw Ching,corporate vice president sales and marketing for Columbus stated, "This programme a first for the Caribbean. As we continue to support initiatives in technology-based learning in the classroom, we also want to promote other skills required for pursuing any career: problem-solving, creativity, knowledge application and critical thinking."
Didacus Jules, CEO of CXC, the examining body that provides educational certifications in 21 English and Dutch speaking Commonwealth Caribbean Countries and TerritoriesEducator with wide experience at many levels in education and academia commented on the initiative. "Realizing the creative and intellectual potential of the Caribbean requires a multidisciplinary approach, both inside and outside of the classroom. Initiatives such as these should be rewarded and encouraged and I congratulate Columbus for, as usual, taking such a bold step."
Teachers and educators around the world can register online for the Cubes In Space program through the website http://www.cubesinspace.com with the final registration date being April 11th, 2014 with the launch into space via sounding rocket from NASA Wallops Flight Facility on Wallops Island, VA on June 26th, 2014. All the terms and conditions for the competition are available on the website.
This release includes forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that involve risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, the impact of competitive products, the ability to meet customer demand, the ability to manage growth, acquisitions of technology, equipment, or human resources, the effect of economic and business conditions, and the ability to attract and retain skilled personnel. The Company is not obligated to revise or update any forward-looking statements in order to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this release.
ABOUT COLUMBUS
Columbus International Inc. is a privately held diversified telecommunications company based in Barbados. The Company provides digital cable television, broadband Internet and digital landline telephony in Trinidad, Jamaica, Barbados, Grenada, St. Lucia and Curacao under the brand name FLOW and in St. Vincent & the Grenadines and Antigua under the brand name Karib Cable. Columbus also provides next generation connectivity and IT solutions, managed networking and cloud-based services under the brand Columbus Business Solutions. Through its subsidiary, Columbus Networks, the Company provides capacity and IP services, corporate data solutions and data center hosting throughout 42 countries in the greater Caribbean, Central American and Andean region. Through its fully protected, ringed submarine fiber optic network spanning more than 42,300 km and its 34,300 km terrestrial fibre and coaxial network, Columbus' 2,700 plus professionals provide advanced telecom services to a diverse residential and corporate client base of well over 650,000 customers. Visit www.columbus.co
About idoodlesoftware inc.
Idoodlesoftware inc. is an education software company that bridges the gap between traditional and digital learning. Founded in 2008, the company is based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada and London, England and has a portfolio of educational software which is installed in over 8,000 schools representing 4,000,000 students.
For more information, please visit http://www.idoodlesoftware.com
About The Rubik Learning Initiative
The Rubik Learning Initiative provides revolutionary and engaging educational tools, programs and global expertise that foster the development of creative and multilateral thinking thus empowering people of all ages to discover their own solutions.
For more information http://www.rubiklearning.com
About NASA's Wallops Flight Facility
The research and responsibilities of NASA's Wallops Flight Facility, part of Goddard Spaceflight Center, are centered around the philosophy of providing unique expertise, facilities, and carriers to enable rapid response, frequent, low-cost flight opportunities for a diverse customer base. For more information http://www.nasa.gov/wallops
About Colorado Space Grant Consortium
The Colorado Space Grant Consortium is an affiliate of NASA's National Space Grant College and Fellowship program. COSGC uses the excitement of the space program to inspire, educate and develop the future technological workforce by enabling a diverse group of students to participate in space-based, hands-on projects, courses and outreach activities.
For more information http://spacegrant.colorado.edu/
About CXC
Caribbean Examinations Council is the regional examining body that provides educational certifications in 21 English and Dutch speaking Commonwealth Caribbean Countries and Territories.