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volume 5, Issue 2 July-September 2014
volume 5, Issue 2 July- September 2014
Spot Valley High School Constructs Greenhouse to Enhance Student Learning and to Aid in their Breakfast Programme
In this issue Spot Valley High School Constructs Greenhouse
Steer Town Academy Represents Jamaica at CYSF 2014 Where are they now??
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From left: Mrs. Carlene Brown-Owens, Ms. Taneisha Campbell, Mr. Michael Ennis, Mrs. Alicea Bigby-Smart, Mrs. Synandre Montague-Dwyer, Mr. Horace Campbell, Mrs. Angella Williams, Mr. Roan Green, Mr. Kenneth Vincent, Ms. Leesha Windross, Mr. Fabian McClymont (missing).
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Contributed by: Alicea Bigby-Smart, Teacher at Spot Valley High School
An herbal garden started two years ago at Spot Valley High has blossomed into a thriving greenhouse project. The project idea was the brainchild of two Agricultural Science teachers: Ms. Leesha Windross and Mr. Kenneth Vincent. Ms. Leesha Windross.
The teachers took the initiative and wrote a letter along with a proposal and sent it to The Jamaica 4H Clubs via the St. James Branch to propose the herbal garden project; and positive response was received in the form of a generous donation of $200,000 from the Sandals Foundation.
This year, two other teachers (Mrs. Alicea Bigby-Smart and Mrs. Carlene Brown-Owens) whilst pursuing a BSc. Degree in Environmental Studies at the Montego Bay Community College, took on the challenge to construct the greenhouse on the school grounds; transforming the herbal garden project. They were assisted by fellow group members: Mr. Michael Ennis; Mr. Horace Campbell; Ms. Taneisha Campbell and Mr. Fabian McClymont.
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION YOU MAY CONTACT THE SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION UNIT: 1 Telephone: (876) 927-1771-4 Fax: (876) 927-0806 Email: ssts.src@gmail.com Editor: Ms. Felicia Bailey
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volume 5, Issue 2 July-September 2014
The cost effective design for the greenhouse was obtained from a fellow classmate, Mr. Orville McFarlane. The project was done in partial fulfilment for a course being pursued as a part of the Bsc. Program.
The rationale for building the greenhouse was to: (1) Enhance the teaching/learning experience in the area of Agriculture via exposure to new technology. (2) Ignite interest among the students in the field of Agriculture so that they will see it as a viable career choice.
From left: Mrs. Synandre Montague-Dwyer, Mrs. Alicea Bigby-Smart, Mr. Michael Ennis, Ms. Taneisha Campbell, Mr. Horace Campbell, Mrs. Carlene Brown-Owens, Mr. Fabian McClymont (missing).
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volume 5, Issue 2 July-September 2014
Steer Town Academy Represents Jamaica at CYSF 2014
CYSF participants engaging with local and internatuional Scientists at Meet the Scientist Night
Team Reflections: Daniel Andrews
My trip to a science forum in Trinidad was educational, excited and fun. Being in Trinidad at the science forum created a great impact on my life, but also open my eyes to see how creative young people like me can be.
One of my favourite scientists is Dr. Valery Alexander he is a forensic pathologist. I remember a particular thing he said, “dead people can talk�; I was shocked at first but I do believe that dead people can talk. Dr Alexander is a very fun filled person, he speaks in a way that is understandable. He seems to be an influential person and someone that believes in what he does.If I should get a chance to go back and visit anyone of the scientists, I would visit Dr. Alexander.
Going on the field trips to Trinidad and Tobago air guard, the National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago and the soldier camp. At the Trinidad and Tobago air guard I learnt that the helicopter is very delicate and the air guards are responsible for people get lost in the sea and helicopter can hold up to 14 passengers or soldiers. At the gas company what I like is that the police get the gas free. Sometimes when they are in need of oil they go out in the sea in search of it. My best part of the field trip was being at the soldier camp, they taught us about the hard life they have to live, how to survive in the wild. What to eat and how to killer animals and how to build an house. The most amazing part is how to track down people when looking for lost individuals. I really did not like the food but I get use to it at times.
The most exciting and fun part was sports day it was the best. On sports day we got to socialize with others to work as a team. We did a lot of fun things that was enjoyable. There was another more exciting than this sports day. Everyone there was friendly and cooperative. A night that I will never forget is karaoke night it was amazing showing my piece of talent. Everyone was crazy to see
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volume 5, Issue 2 July-September 2014
us Jamaicans perform. They were all crazy excited to hear us sing; they didn't want us to leave the stage. My soul was filled with joy to have everyone cheered us on; it was just so amazing. They all showed that they appreciate us being there. They made us Jamaicans feel welcomed.
It is also a great experience going to dinner with the scientists, socializing with them. They were very influential. They told me what it is like to become a scientist and different ways in which scientist work and ways you can become a scientist. All that was said influenced me a lot. While the different type of scientists spoke to me, I thought what it would be like if I should be a scientist. This trip to Trinidad has been a great experience for me, one that I will always remember; it was very informative. I have learned a lot and I will not forget my experience being in Trinidad; it was wonderful.
Dejon McCormack,
When I first heard that I was going to be a part of the team that was going to represent Jamaica at CYSF I was ecstatic; this was the first time I have been on an aeroplane. My initial expectations of the CYSF was that it’s going to be just a normal “boring” science forum, but little did I know that I was in for a big surprise.
On our arrival at the airport in Port-of-Spain, the first person we met was a girl called Shavanise, she was a Jamaican as well, she was one of the host at the forum; she was very welcoming. When we got to UWI campus we were so sleepy but we had to put some finishing touches on the project.
The next morning we got up and all of us went outside and went for breakfast, when we sat down we saw some participants coming in they were all looking at us, one of the girls came up to us and ask us if we were Jamaicans, we replied yes, she told us that they love Jamaicans and from that day we made a lot of friends.
CYSF was more than I expected I thought it was going to be a boring science camp, but it was so fun i had a blast there. We participated in all of the activities and the hosts, participants and chaperones loved us.
The field trips were so great; we even got police escort to all the events that we were going to. We went to lectures and I learnt so many new things, Dr. Miguel Nicolelis was my biggest inspiration, he inspired me to become a electrical engineer.
When I went to the forensic lab i saw some interesting things like the different ways people can die and how to identify the murder weapons.
Prof. Miguel Nicolelis speaking wioth articipants at meet the Scientist Night.
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CYSF changed my life in a big way , it was the best week of my life , I hope next year participants have as much fun as I did , I’m sure they will
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volume 4, Issue 3 January– March 2014 Gawaine Anderson
CYSF 2014 as a participant ?! Words cannot explain how I felt when I heard my friends and I were going to represent our country, but really and truly I felt so proud yet excited at the time. It was my first time representing my country so how could I not be happy.
Meeting scientists from all over the world, up until this very day I taught that I would never be able to actually even shake a scientists hands or even sharing future dreams.
During our stay in Trinidad at the CYSF I have learnt a lot and the experience exceeded my expectations. My most memorable moment was shaking Professor Miguel Nicolelis hands. A Brazilian neuroscientists. Professor Miguel Nicolelis who had started a project named the walk again project. He was given a task to create a device that plug directly into the brain and capable of restoring self-reliance to persons who are paralyzed. When first hearing about this like almost everyone I said this is impossible but it wasn’t, he built the device and of course he encountered many challenges but he overcome them and built the device and did I mention this device was the first to kick the football at the FIFA world cup in Brazil. It was a pleasure meeting him.
Never the less what I really enjoyed the most at the forum was meeting the participants and sharing our culture, eating lunch together and going out on the field trips. The impact this experience has left on me is priceless I really couldn’t afford to pay for such a wonderful experience and I certainly have enjoyed to the fullest. Coming from my heart students across the world who are interested in science, you guys should ,make the best of it and believe there are things yet to discover out there in the world of science so therefore, before giving up just take your time and think and go back to the drawing board, science doesn’t come just so, you have to work for it. Thank you so much S.R.C. for letting me have such a wonderful experience that I could never even imagine to have and our sponsors of course thank you
Jamaica’s CYSF Delegation from Steer Town Academy,from left: Nicholas Paterson, Daniel Amndrews, Gawaine Andrews, Andre Gouldbourne, Dejon McCormack, and teacher/chaperone Derron Grant.
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volume 5, Issue 2 July-September 2014 Andre Gouldbourne
How did I feel to be representing Jamaica at a regional event? The feeling was overwhelming and I feel honoured represent my country also I feel lucky to have been chosen out of the many who competed in the Scientific Research Council competition.
I expected CYSF to be very vital towards my knowledge and education also fun packed and full of excitement and exposure. It is an opportunity to meet the young brilliant minds of our future and share my knowledge with them. So they can impart their knowledge to me as well.
It really met my expectation because in regards to science and technology. It was also fun at the sometime full of activities a lot of fun things to do and also it gave me the proper experience that I needed to help me along my way to my goal.
My favourite moments at CYSF are karaoke and socialization with the scientists: karaoke is a night to remember why? because they ask the Jamaicans to sing from the genre of dancehall an also as an added bonus we dance for them as well. Socialization with the scientist night was also a great moment too they showed us some of their inventions also gave us some words of encouragement and those words were “everyone has the ability to become a scientist once they put their mind to it�. The thing I enjoy the most about CYSF were the public lectures because I learnt more about science that I did not know about.
This experience had a great impact on me positively. Because I met an actual scientist who talked to me and shared his knowledge with me, he gave me some interesting facts about life, and he gave me advice about science his statement that no form of science is hard you just have to put your mind to it
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Where are they now? volume 5, Issue 2 July-September 2014
Q
This quarter we feature Andre
A
Which SRC Competitions or activities did you take part in?
JPSco. in collaboration with SRC Science Fair 2004 to 2006 Science Expo 2006 to 2012 (Secondary and tertiary) SRC annual conference Workshops Young inventors and innovators Competition 2009 & 2014(As teacher/mentor) Nationals NIHERTS Young inventors and innovators Competition 2009 Regional SRC open days
Q A
Do you believe your participation had any influence on your grasp and appreciation for Science?
Q A
Yee-Shui, Browns Town Community College past student
During high school and my earlier years of college participating in science competitions were my most memorable moments of my life, these competitions have gave me an avenue where i could be free to invent, create and explore that i would have gotten from the regular school curriculum. These competitions have completely changed me from the shy,quite, soft spoke boy i use to be in to an out spoken and confident Science teacher. My goal as a science teacher is to create a "Science Literate" Jamaica.
Give a synopsis of your academic and proffessional life since high school......
After high school, I enrolled into Church Teachers College: Mandeville where i did A diploma in Science Education, majoring in Biology and Chemistry and minoring in Physics. I am presently Teaching at Steer Town Academy, where I am the Head of the Science Department and club adviser for both 4h and Science Clubs.
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