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Determined science club members win national award
Not even violence could stop Denham Town studentsBY INGRID BROWN Observer staff reporter browni@jamaicaobserver.com
Monday, May 14, 2007
THE violence that recently affected classes at Denham Town Primary did not thwart the determination of six budding scientists and their teacher from completing their project, which knocked out 26 primary, preparatory, high and tertiary institutions to win the national championship in the Jamaica Public Service (JPS) National Science Championship award.
In fact, the six-girl team said the outbreak of violence only allowed them five days to research and complete the project - a model house made of waterproof and fire-resistant cardboard.
Kareem Nelson, one of the six young scientists at Denham Town Primary, shows off the house made of waterproof and fire-resistant cardboard, while explaining the process involved in making the award-winning project as fellow team members Shanice Wright (right) and Shanice Nolan (left), along with their science teacher Doreth McFarlane, look on.
"We completed this project in five days because we lost a couple of days because of violence in the area," said science teacher Doreth McFarlane.
"But in spite of the violence in the community we still did our work and our teacher also stayed with us until late in the night so we could get it finished," added team member Shanice Nolan.
It is this determination which saw the team taking home the science trophy for the second consecutive year, after having placed second and third in previous years.
McFarlane told the Observer that the school has had a history of winning or placing high at science fairs for the past 20 years.
McFarlane said that when the JPS, along with the Association of Science Teachers and the Scientific Research Council, started sponsoring the science championship in 2003, Denham Town welcomed the opportunity to compete.
Alessandria Clarke (right) points to one of the many science awards received by the group while members of the award winning science team Ranee Anderson, Jahiesha McKoy (left) and their science teacher Doreth McFarlane observe. (Photos: Karl McLarty)
In the first year, the school took home the first place trophy in the primary school division and second place overall, competing with high schools and tertiary institutions.
Last year, the school took home the trophy for their ingenious use of ackee pods to make shampoo, body wash and dishwashing liquid.
McFarlane attributed the continued success of the school at science fairs to God's guidance in the projects they do.
"I always pray about the projects we are doing and ask the Lord to give me ideas," she said.
The teacher of 30 years said they then do a lot of research, as well as identify problems that need a solution. "We read a lot, are very observant and we brainstorm together," she said.
The girls said they could not have done it without the support of their families and their teacher.
Ranee Anderson, a member of the team, had high praises for their class teacher Miss Bennett, whom she said was always very supportive of their effort.
"Miss McFarlane is one of our favourite teacher, but our class teacher Miss Bennett always tell us when we are going out that we must try to be who we know we are, behave ourselves and don't let anybody look down on us regardless of where we are from," said Ranee.
The children all live in the Denham Town and Tivoli Gardens communities.
Last year, the group completed their winning project in three weeks after McFarlane said that project idea came to them in a most unexpected way.
"I always heard that in war time people would use ackee skin to wash clothes but I never knew it was possible until one day I was coming home from church and it started to rain and I noticed the suds in the water around the ackee pod," she said.
This year's project was no different. McFarlane said she was reading a magazine when she came across an article about a Japanese architect who used paper rolls to make a water and fireproof pavilion which was showcased at an expo in Germany in 2002.
"The fact that he was able to fireproof and waterproof the cardboard intrigued me, and I said this is a good idea but I was wondering how would we be able to make these rolls," she recalled. It later dawned on her that cardboard could be used instead.
"I came and shared what I read with the group and we brainstormed and came up with the idea to use the cardboard to make a house for emergency purposes," she said.
They did a stress test to determine how thick they would have to make the cardboard for it to accommodate weight of 85 kilogrammes.
"We got cardboard and pasted them together to see if we could make it with that thickness and we did the stress test and it was successful," said team member Alessandria Clarke.
The students said they then coated it with a solution to make it waterproof.
But getting the cardboard to be fire-resistant took further research, according to McFarlane. The team, she said, was unable to locate the type of paint which would make this possible.
Again, the group turned to the Internet for further research and discovered that zinc chloride, ammonium chloride and calcium chloride could be combined into a solution to make the cardboard fire resistant.
At the end of the experiment, the children set to work building the model house with the help of Shanice Nolan's father, who is a carpenter.
"We asked him to assist us because the cardboard is very thick and had to be cut with a saw," the students said.
The children said they always knew they had as good a chance as previous years when they saw the idea beginning to take shape.
"It was a very good idea because we have a lot of hurricanes and fires regularly and so we decided to make a house which could be a solution," said Jahiesha.
The students and their teachers were confident that such a cardboard house could be a temporary shelter in times of disaster.
So confident were they that they plan to introduce the idea to the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM).
"We are suggesting that it can be made into a kit and that persons who have suffered disasters can get one," McFarlane said.
They said some other great projects in the competition included an ackee lotion, an egg incubator and a mosquito repellent made from a type of grass.
"Seaview Gardens made a roof sealant from Styrofoam, which was also a very good project," said Shanice Wright.
The team members, some of whom have been involved in the school's science club since grade three, all plan to pursue careers as scientists.
McFarlane believes the girls, whose work averages in the 80s and 90s, can be anything they put their mind to, considering that she herself grew up in the tough community. And although it has been 30 years since she left the area, she always wanted to give back to the neighbourhood.
"I see this as giving back service to my community so the children can develop their potential," she said.
The violence in the community, she said, has been affecting the children and also impact on her psyche as a teacher. "When gunshots are firing there is nothing you can do. You try and keep them occupied and make them sing or do something to distract them until it is over," she said.
Not even violence could stop Denham Town studentsBY INGRID BROWN Observer staff reporter browni@jamaicaobserver.com
Monday, May 14, 2007
THE violence that recently affected classes at Denham Town Primary did not thwart the determination of six budding scientists and their teacher from completing their project, which knocked out 26 primary, preparatory, high and tertiary institutions to win the national championship in the Jamaica Public Service (JPS) National Science Championship award.
In fact, the six-girl team said the outbreak of violence only allowed them five days to research and complete the project - a model house made of waterproof and fire-resistant cardboard.
Kareem Nelson, one of the six young scientists at Denham Town Primary, shows off the house made of waterproof and fire-resistant cardboard, while explaining the process involved in making the award-winning project as fellow team members Shanice Wright (right) and Shanice Nolan (left), along with their science teacher Doreth McFarlane, look on. "We completed this project in five days because we lost a couple of days because of violence in the area," said science teacher Doreth McFarlane.
"But in spite of the violence in the community we still did our work and our teacher also stayed with us until late in the night so we could get it finished," added team member Shanice Nolan.
It is this determination which saw the team taking home the science trophy for the second consecutive year, after having placed second and third in previous years.
McFarlane told the Observer that the school has had a history of winning or placing high at science fairs for the past 20 years.
McFarlane said that when the JPS, along with the Association of Science Teachers and the Scientific Research Council, started sponsoring the science championship in 2003, Denham Town welcomed the opportunity to compete.
Alessandria Clarke (right) points to one of the many science awards received by the group while members of the award winning science team Ranee Anderson, Jahiesha McKoy (left) and their science teacher Doreth McFarlane observe. (Photos: Karl McLarty) In the first year, the school took home the first place trophy in the primary school division and second place overall, competing with high schools and tertiary institutions.
Last year, the school took home the trophy for their ingenious use of ackee pods to make shampoo, body wash and dishwashing liquid.
McFarlane attributed the continued success of the school at science fairs to God's guidance in the projects they do.
"I always pray about the projects we are doing and ask the Lord to give me ideas," she said.
The teacher of 30 years said they then do a lot of research, as well as identify problems that need a solution. "We read a lot, are very observant and we brainstorm together," she said.
The girls said they could not have done it without the support of their families and their teacher.
Ranee Anderson, a member of the team, had high praises for their class teacher Miss Bennett, whom she said was always very supportive of their effort.
"Miss McFarlane is one of our favourite teacher, but our class teacher Miss Bennett always tell us when we are going out that we must try to be who we know we are, behave ourselves and don't let anybody look down on us regardless of where we are from," said Ranee.
The children all live in the Denham Town and Tivoli Gardens communities.
Last year, the group completed their winning project in three weeks after McFarlane said that project idea came to them in a most unexpected way.
"I always heard that in war time people would use ackee skin to wash clothes but I never knew it was possible until one day I was coming home from church and it started to rain and I noticed the suds in the water around the ackee pod," she said.
This year's project was no different. McFarlane said she was reading a magazine when she came across an article about a Japanese architect who used paper rolls to make a water and fireproof pavilion which was showcased at an expo in Germany in 2002.
"The fact that he was able to fireproof and waterproof the cardboard intrigued me, and I said this is a good idea but I was wondering how would we be able to make these rolls," she recalled. It later dawned on her that cardboard could be used instead.
"I came and shared what I read with the group and we brainstormed and came up with the idea to use the cardboard to make a house for emergency purposes," she said.
They did a stress test to determine how thick they would have to make the cardboard for it to accommodate weight of 85 kilogrammes.
"We got cardboard and pasted them together to see if we could make it with that thickness and we did the stress test and it was successful," said team member Alessandria Clarke.
The students said they then coated it with a solution to make it waterproof.
But getting the cardboard to be fire-resistant took further research, according to McFarlane. The team, she said, was unable to locate the type of paint which would make this possible.
Again, the group turned to the Internet for further research and discovered that zinc chloride, ammonium chloride and calcium chloride could be combined into a solution to make the cardboard fire resistant.
At the end of the experiment, the children set to work building the model house with the help of Shanice Nolan's father, who is a carpenter.
"We asked him to assist us because the cardboard is very thick and had to be cut with a saw," the students said.
The children said they always knew they had as good a chance as previous years when they saw the idea beginning to take shape.
"It was a very good idea because we have a lot of hurricanes and fires regularly and so we decided to make a house which could be a solution," said Jahiesha.
The students and their teachers were confident that such a cardboard house could be a temporary shelter in times of disaster.
So confident were they that they plan to introduce the idea to the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM).
"We are suggesting that it can be made into a kit and that persons who have suffered disasters can get one," McFarlane said.
They said some other great projects in the competition included an ackee lotion, an egg incubator and a mosquito repellent made from a type of grass.
"Seaview Gardens made a roof sealant from Styrofoam, which was also a very good project," said Shanice Wright.
The team members, some of whom have been involved in the school's science club since grade three, all plan to pursue careers as scientists.
McFarlane believes the girls, whose work averages in the 80s and 90s, can be anything they put their mind to, considering that she herself grew up in the tough community. And although it has been 30 years since she left the area, she always wanted to give back to the neighbourhood.
"I see this as giving back service to my community so the children can develop their potential," she said.
The violence in the community, she said, has been affecting the children and also impact on her psyche as a teacher. "When gunshots are firing there is nothing you can do. You try and keep them occupied and make them sing or do something to distract them until it is over," she said.