Ladyville Tech hosts first open day

Open days are a regular feature of the academic year for many educational institutions in Belize … And this morning, News Five’s Kendra Griffith visited one school that is determined to turn its low profile into a student magnet by using just such an event.

Selvin Sanchez, Student
“Good morning, my name is Selvin Sanchez. I will be your tour guide for today.”

Kendra Griffith, Reporting
Today Ladyville Technical High School held its first open day.

Diane Wesby, Principal, Ladyville Technical High
“Today we are using the open day as a way to market the school, specifically for the primary school students, those who are taking the P.S.E. We are hoping that at the end of the day what they see or view will form positive impressions in their minds and that in September they will join us for the new school year.”

Using display booths, the high school students showed off their acquired skills to prospective students, the media, area representative Ralph Fonseca, and Chief Education Officer Maud Hyde.

The science section had an impressive collection of animals, including a hamster, baby croc, insects, and snakes.

Carlston Barrera, 4th Form Student
“These are snakes that different students brought in for us. Right here you have a water snake and a Mexican Tree Frog at the bottom. Right here you have a Fer de Lance and Tommy Goff, and a Boa Constrictor.”

Modesta Lino, 4th Form Student
“Right now agriculture is one of the biggest role playing in Belize, so it’s exciting.”

Kendra Griffith
“What do you plan to do when you graduate?”

Modesta Lino
“Continue studying agriculture.”

Kendra Griffith
“What do you like about agriculture why you decided to study it?”

Modesta Lino
“I like the plants and to see how they grow and how long the plants grow, and the difference from each plant.”

In the business section, we learnt the right way to answer a company phone.

Student
“Good morning, Ladyville Tech institution. Abimer Es speaking, how may I help?” That’s the proper way of answering the telephone. A wrong way is, “Good morning. Abimer Es speaking, how may I help?” that’s an example of the wrong way because first you need to greet the person with the time of the day, give the institution you are working in, then give your name and lastly ask what you may assist them with.”

For their display, the hospitality classroom was converted into a Mexican restaurant.

Leticia Calderon, 4th Form Student
“Over here we have the presentation of the foods, the Mexican foods, which are panades, salbutes, garnaches, tostados, and enchiladas. Then over this side, we have the guacamole, which is one of the Mexican foods as well.”

Kendra Griffith
“You’ve been very busy since this morning?”

Leticia Calderon
“Yes ma’am. Preparing food, fixing our lab, serving people, giving the best we can.”

After sampling the Mexican fare, we visited the English Department where students had transformed words into images by depicting scenes from the various literature books in their curriculum.

Student
“Here we have the cave where Sofie used to live from the novel The Crysalids.”

“This here is Grafton’s Bar from the novel Shane where they normally have their fights.”

Diane Wesby
“I think some people are not aware that the institution exists and others, because of the misconceptions they have, that’s why they are reluctant. But hopefully today that will change.”

Kendra Griffith
“What are those misconceptions?”

Diane Wesby
“That it’s not a good institution. That it’s for those who are academically challenged, it has behavioural problems and that is not really the case. We are a good school.”

Selvin Sanchez
“I hope you guys enjoy yourself and now you now what Ladyville Tech has to offer.”

Ladyville Tech is currently accepting applications for the new school year. Kendra Griffith reporting for News Five.

Ladyville Technical High opened in 1999 and currently has an enrolment of two hundred and seventy-six students.