S.J.C. Open Day entertains and educates
It is among the nation’s premier institutions of secondary education… and today St. John’s College let it be known that it’s looking for more than a few good men. Jacqueline Woods reports.
The displays included creative works from all of St. John’s College’s curriculum. Whether you were interested in the arts or business, the school’s annual open day gave the visitors a good view of what lessons are being taught behind the walls of one of the country’s most prestigious education institutions.
One display that drew a crowd was a rocket launch. While the lift off was successful, something went terribly wrong, as the rocket shot skyward, it suddenly shifted and came crashing to the ground, right on the spectators who had gathered to watch the rocket’s flight.
Luckily no one was seriously injured. According to the flight’s commander, thirteen year old Haresh Babani, he still doesn’t know what went wrong.
Harhesh Babani, Student
“Only the top part came out. See how it came out with the parachute. But what gone on just now? Me no know. You no know what happened to the rocket just now.? because we put Styrofoam in that’s why.”
Incidentally Babani, standing almost three and a half feet high, is S.J.C’s smallest student and also one of its brightest.
The students had fun while at work and were only too eager to show off their projects to the cameras. One example was the manual generator, which allows you, with just a turn of a handle, to turn on house lights on.
According to Carlos Milan, the event coordinator, the open day is held, not only to showcase their students creations, as a marketing tool used to interest standard six students in applying to S.J.C.
Carlos Milan, Coordinator, SJC Open Day
“However, the main purpose of the event is to attract potential freshmen for this coming fall so they can see what St. John’s is all about, so they can make a choice for their high school career.”
For student Henry Gomez, a career in manufacturing cycle scooters from old bicycle parts would be ideal, as a majority of students get to school on their bicycles.
Henry Gomez, Student
“This is a model cycle like scooter, but it has an engine right. We made it out of old scraps like old bicycles parts and old lawn mower engine and then we just set it up and we bought some few parts, but it was mostly out of scraps.
Well when you ride a bicycle you get tired pedaling, you know, and you do so much movement with your foot, but with this you just need to pull and you go.”
But while a student will not need to use his or her foot to move the cycle, another invention, the S.J.C.’s swamp rat will need to be pedaled in order to move. The model boat, a two passenger vessel uses a fast powered turbine instead of motor and fuel. So prospective students take note. At S.J.C. you’ll exercise both mind and body. Jacqueline Woods for News Five.
