Day 5

On Day 5 we woke up around the usual time and met at the clinic at 9 AM to start our day. We were headed to Minto Primary School again to teach the other grades about math and science. We met with Euton and Vanessa as well as Hannah and Tia (nurses at the clinic who were joining us up in Penlyne later in the day). When we got to Minto Primary school, they were on their break so kids, once again, came running up to the truck so excited to see us. A few even said "Are we going to get marshmallows today?!". Once in the computer lab, we started to get ready for day 2 of lessons. We planned to meet with the 3rd and 4th graders today to talk about chemical reactions. We walked into the 3rd grade room and it was silent. All of the children were calmly sitting one by one in three aligned rows. There eyes were beaming as we started to tell them about what they were going to learn. We talked about all 3 states of matter and the outcomes of different reactions. We then showed them a demonstration showing them what each of them would be doing in their teams. We had a few empty bottles that we funneled vinegar into. We then put baking soda into a balloon and fit the end of the balloon over the water bottle and dumped the baking soda into the bottle with vinegar. You could then see the vinegar reacting with the baking soda which created a gas that filled the balloon. Each group got to try this on their own and each time their eyes were wide opened when they saw the balloon filled. After cleaning up the fallen baking soda and some spilled vinegar, we gave each student a balloon of their own as a reward for being so well behaved. Immediatly afterward, we headed to the 4th grade room to teach them a lesson. Once again, we walked into a very well behaved class, which was in stark constrast from the day before. Since we had leftover vinegar and baking soda, we decided to show the 4th graders the same balloon experiment we showed the the 3rd graders. Afterward, we taught the students about the the states of matter and chemical reactions. For the 4th grade students, we made lava lamps using oil and water inside a plastic bottle. First, we showed the students what happened when we tried to mix water and oil together (Spoiler alert: They don't mix).Then we dropped food coloring into the bottles and put Alka-Seltzer into the bottles to show another chemical reaction. The Seltzer made the liquid inside the bottle bubble, and the kids were so amazed! Before leaving, we gave the kids leftover pipe cleaners as reward for answering questions. While we were at Minto, a group called RADA (Rural Agricultural Development Association) happened to be there too. They were creating a garden on the hillside (it was so steep!) next to the school to demonstrate farming techniques as well as provide a garden to supplement the school lunch operations. RADA showed community members how to clear the land and use tires to create steppes so that the steep land could be farmed. Euton then drove us to Penlyne Castle Primary School where his nephew attends. We talked with the first grade teacher, Miss Jackson, and her son, another teacher, as well as Principal Watson about potential improvements at the school. It seems fencing and water are issues faced by many schools up in the mountains. As Penlyne Primary School is built at the top of a cliff, it's important to have fencing so students don't climb down the cliff to retrieve lost soccer balls. We happened to come on Career Day, a day where the students all dress up in an outfit of what they want to be when they grow up. They were dressed as soldiers, nurses, teachers, doctors, and a pastor. We watched as the children performed skits to show what their profession does. The highlight was a girl who dressed as a vet and then proceeded to "treat" a goat. The poor goat was so panicked as the girls put a bandaid on its nose! After leaving Penlyne school, we talked with other community members in Penlyne including a shop owner Ms. Nerma and a coffee farmer Mr. Bennett. Mr. Bennett, who hosts homestays for BMP, was particularly optimistic about future projects involving the Penlyne community including renewable energy and exporting dried herbs or fruits. He was incredibly passionate about his community and described it as tight-knit and collaborative. He also described the contrast between Hagley Gap and Penlyne. Penlyne is a self-sustaining farming community, whereas Hagley Gap depends much more on Kingston for supplies. Finally, we met Euton and drove back down to Hagley Gap. He brought us the coffee beans we wanted to buy and they smelled so heavenly. Unfortunately, on the way down, we noticed Euton's truck giving off a lot more black fumes and dripping oil. Just after we got home, his truck actually broke down!