A week with science in Rio Claro

The place of the ‘clear river’ – Rio Claro – was definitely the place to be between April 13th and 17th 2010 for the recent NIHERST Community Science Week. The Science Week exceeded everyone’s expectations, with full community participation and amazing technologies on display in this predominantly agricultural community.

The week was co-hosted at the Rio Claro East and Rio Claro West Secondary Schools. The Opening Ceremony took place on Tuesday 13th April with addresses by Mrs. Maureen Manchouck, NIHERST President and Ms. Anna Singh, Curriculum Officer – Science, South East Educational District.

From the opening day onwards, there was a steady stream of students from preschool to the secondary level. Students were welcomed from 44 schools in a catchment area that spanned from Tabaquite to Manzanilla. Students quickly discovered that there was something for everyone at the Science Week.

The community checklist for content was satisfied, supported through interactive exhibits from the NIHERST/NGC National Science Centre (NSC), informative booths from partners, and an exciting entertainment zone which showcased the talent of the district’s students. There were booths from the Cocoa and Coffee Board, Forestry Division, the National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Environmental Management Company, British Gas Trinidad and Tobago, the Institute of Marine Affairs, and the National Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Programme.

Learning about Cocoa and Coffee	NGC shares information on natural gas	Produce on display at the Ministry of Agriculture booth

The Special Anti-Crime Unit of Trinidad and Tobago (SAUTT) was a big hit, as not one but two helicopters and the blimp (airship) made visits. Teachers and students alike welcomed the opportunity to learn more about the ‘whirlybirds’ and the various technologies that take crime fighting to a new level, up above in the skies. SAUTT also captured the attention of many with the staging of a mock crime scene which allowed visitors to briefly become “CSIs” or crime scene investigators, looking for clues to ‘whodunit?’

Visitors get up close with SAUTT helicopter	Crime Science re-enactment by SAUTT officers

Live bees in a hive also made for an exciting display, and personnel from the Apiaries Division seized the opportunity to explain the activity of a ‘robber bee’ – even the local wildlife came to visit! The Environmental Management Authority shared information on the International Year of Biodiversity and the Ministry of Agriculture explained growbox farming, while the Cocoa and Coffee Board invited visitors to take a sip of hot chocolate while learning about the stages of cocoa harvesting, drying and processing.

With CSEC/CXC exams around the corner, NSC’s Science Education Unit conducted one day workshops for students from Rio Claro West and East Secondary Schools and Tableland High School in Biology, Chemistry and Physics, while the NIHERST Innovation Unit ran workshops on Electronics and Robotics.

Yapollo ‘discovery’ exhibits were spun, shifted and thoroughly enjoyed as patrons explored levers, gears and simple machines, conservation of momentum, kinetic and potential energy, puzzles, and models of the human body. Others played with scorpion robots and were amused by a cart-wheeling humanoid robot.

Pre-schoolers enjoyed science storytelling, were immersed in experiential activities on the five senses, and made manatee puppets. Some primary school students attended a hands-on workshop on solutes, solvents and solutions. Some also did cultural performances throughout the week.

Figuring out the Soma Cube	Student Explainers sharing information with the little ones	Pre-schoolers experiencing the 'feely house' in the Kidiplay area

Friday’s “Career Day” featured presentations by the National Library and Information System, The University of Trinidad and Tobago, The University of the West Indies, the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service, COSTAATT, the National Training Agency, and the United States Information Service, among others. Their booths provided secondary students with information on subjects they should study in order to follow various career paths.

Astronomy night on Friday drew over 100 visitors. They scanned the night skies to observe celestial features using powerful telescopes, binoculars and Sky Scouts and guided assistance from the NSC team of science explainers.

The star shows in the Planetarium dome maintained their popularity with steady streams of visitors of all ages right through to Saturday, when some students returned with their families for a ‘second taste’ of the Science Week.

The Exhibit floor at the Rio Claro West Secondary School auditorium

All in all, the Community Science Week was well patronised and the staff at NIHERST is certain that the many opportunities for science engagement and learning were capitalised upon by all visitors. Visitors have asked for a repeat visit in the near future, with one person stating “I wish every year could have another Science Fair” and another who summarised the event stating that it “was of the highest quality”.

NIHERST thanks the community of Rio Claro for its warm reception, and particularly the community representatives that assisted in planning the programme content, the Principals of the Rio Claro East and West Secondary Schools, student explainers and all visitors to our 10th Community Science Week.

Written: May 2010