Science fair draws students to Belize Zoo
While Holy Redeemer Parish Hall was the venue for the Belize District’s spelling finals, a different sort of competition was taking place thirty miles up the Western Highway at the Belize Zoo. News Five’s Jacqueline Woods wouldn’t think of missing it.
The seventh annual Environmental Science Fair was not as big as previous years, but never-the-less it did manage to capture the vivid imaginations of the primary school students who turned out for the event. Whether it was the beating of the Garifuna drums, entertainment by Kevin, the dancing manatee, or simply just hanging out under a tree, there was no shortage of information on the importance of protecting Belize’s plant and animal life.
Heather Gartner, Volunteer, Belize Zoo
“Basically the idea is to ensure that the future of our environment remain intact because these students are going to be our future leaders.”
Carlo Habet, Student, Belize Elementary School
“We are trying to put in here that birds are supposed to be protected and we are really harming them by cutting down the trees and rainforest and by shooting them for game. Well right now, I’m trying to be a parrot which is very easy cause I like to talk a lot.”
Q: “What can you tell me about the parrots of Belize?”
Carlo Habet
“Well the parrots of Belize are very unique like the macaws and the different kinds of the family. They are not suppose to be had as pets, but people still take them out of the natural environment and it?s not legal to do that.”
Matthew Gillett, Student, Belize Elementary School
“Well I am trying to depict an owl. The owl here is trying to teach the parrot about not to hate his beauty and how important birds are to humans and how humans are important to us.”
But it was not all bird talk at the Science Fair, as students of Belmopan Upper School brought to the show a display on proper garbage disposal and recycling. While a miniature model of the capital’s organized dump site caught the attention of many, it was the students’ demonstration of how school paper can be recycled and use in their art class that really impressed the crowd.
Bertram Parham, Student, Belmopan Upper School
“You tear up the paper, you put it in the water and this is what you call the pulp – the hard pulp. You blend that. You throw the chlorine in that so you can get white, so all the yellow bits and so get white and this is what you call fine pulp after it done blended.”
After placing a sieve inside the water of fine pulp, the mixture is then drained and a felt paper is placed over the sieve and as much water is taken out. This will allow the recycled paper to lift easily from off the felt.
Bertram Parham
“When you take off the water as much as you could, you turn over the felt and you remove the sieve and you get paper. This is some samples of how it looks after it is done. You can do drawing and art and other things on it.”
While the Belmopan students showed their peers how their school can save some money, the boys and girls of Stella Maris were busy saving the rainforest.
Eden Garnett, Student, Stella Maris School
“Like, a rainforest is a place with warm weather all year round with lots of sunlight and with lots of plants and animals.”
Q: “Why should we save our rain forest?”
Eden Garnett
“To not let no one go and destroy our rainforest cause the animals will not have no place to go and live, to not let no one go and burn down the forest like lighting fires and destroy our rainforest.”
They were just as much concern about the safety of animals under the sea. Saving the manatee was the focus of the display done by the students of where else – Gales Point Manatee.
Dorita Usher, Student, Gales Point Methodist Primary School
“We have a lot of tourists go in Gales Point Manatee and visit them. We carry them out so they can see them and a lot of tourists go in there and see them. That’s why we want to protect the manatee.”
Q: “How have some of your friends been hurt?”
Kevin Myers, Student, Gales Point Methodist Primary School
“Some of them are hurt by boats, gill nets and other supplies.”
Q: “And you guys are pretty gentle right?”
Kevin Myers
“Yes, we don’t bite or hurt you or nothing.”
All animals, says young Inga Aikman from Grace Primary School, need each other for their survival, and that’s why her school decided to show a display on the animals inter-dependence.
Inga Aikman, Grace Primary School
“We have it in a form that every block depends on each other. If we pull out an animal, the animal becomes extinct, then ten to thirty other animals maybe become endangered.”
If the students are as committed as how well they demonstrated at the fair, then Belize’s environmental future is in good hands. Reporting for News Five, I am Jacqueline Woods.
First place in the Science Fair went to Belmopan Upper School. Their prize is a computer donated by Fultec. Second place honors were taken by St. Joseph’s of Belize City. One lucky student from that school will be getting a four year scholarship to the high school of his or her choice, courtesy of Chief Justice George Singh.
