Elorm earned his spot due to his early passion for technology and commitment to learning
A 9-year-old pupil from the Bono Region, Elorm Grah, has made history as the youngest participant to represent Ghana at the Annual Impact Roundtable Discussion & Robotics Competition (AIRTAD), competing against peers from other African countries.
Elorm, a student of St Anthony’s Preparatory School in Nkrankwanta, earned his place on the team representing Yamoransa Model Lab 12 during the 4th edition of the AIRTAD competition.
His participation marked a significant milestone for both his community and the Yamoransa Model Labs Programme, which hosts the event annually to showcase student innovation and problem-solving skills through robotics.
The competition, which brings together students from Ghana, Liberia, and The Gambia, challenges participants to build and programme robots to solve real-world problems.
Each of the 16 Yamoransa Model Labs selects its best students to compete.
According to the Centre Manager of YM Lab 12, Elorm was selected due to his early passion for technology and commitment to learning.
He first encountered the lab at age 7 when his school was scheduled to use the shared facility.
His enthusiasm quickly stood out, prompting lab staff to mentor him and eventually invite him to join the Robotics Club.
Elorm’s interest grew rapidly as he delved into robotics tools such as Arduino, Spike Prime, and Lego Mindstorms.
He soon became one of the most dedicated members of the club, often spending hours in the lab after school.
His debut at the 2025 AIRTAD event saw him taking part in robotics challenges and a project exhibition, where his performance was widely praised despite his team not taking home the top prize. Elorm described the experience as “exciting” and said it helped boost his confidence.
Elorm’s participation in the competition is being celebrated as an example of what young learners can achieve when given access to digital tools and learning spaces.
While still early in his educational journey, his story is already inspiring conversations about nurturing talent in underserved communities.