GoodHeart | Dervette Mignott is the ‘Ladybot’ breaking barriers in tech
Published:Saturday | March 8, 2025 | 12:08 AM
Six years ago, a 13-year-old girl stood in the crowd at St Hilda’s Diocesan High School, captivated by a robot moving across the stage during a school devotion. It was the school’s first time entering the First Tech Challenge (FTC) and, although she didn’t know it then, that moment would change the course of her life.
Today, that girl — Dervette Mignott — is the captain and programming lead of the St Hilda’s robotics team, the ‘Ladybots’. As she enters her final year of competition, she reflects on a journey shaped by determination, learning, and an unwavering passion for robotics. When she first joined the team in 2021, she was a technical writer who struggled to handle the robot for long periods. The youngest on the team, she was surrounded by much more experienced students.
These exciting new innovations will be showcased today at the FTC Jamaica competition, where the top-three teams will secure a coveted spot at the First World Robotics Championship in Houston, Texas later this year. Mignott’s teammates — Kiana Cousins and Toria-Lee Martin — have also been integral to the development of Lady Invictus, working collaboratively to ensure the robot is ready to perform at its best. The Ladybots team coach, Vanessa Thompson-Walters, believes that the team’s dedication and ingenuity will surely make waves as they compete for the chance to take their skills to the global stage. Beyond competition, robotics has shaped Mignott’s future. While many expect her to pursue engineering, she has her sights set on logistics, aiming to modernise Jamaica’s ports and supply chains with robotics technology.
“I don’t plan to leave this all behind,” she says. “This knowledge and power to create, revolutionise, and make a difference—it has to be used.”
As she prepares for her final competition season, Mignott is filled with gratitude — for her coach, teammates, mentors, and the sponsors who make this experience possible.
“Because of you, students like me get the opportunity to learn, grow, and dream beyond what we thought was possible.”
Her competition days may be coming to an end, but her journey with robotics is just beginning. And, if history is any indication, Mignott isn’t just building robots — she’s building a future where innovation knows no bounds.