Inside this edition: - Grocott's Mail

More documents

Recommendations

Info

6 SCIENCE FOCUS UPSTART MAY 2011 Science club launched at Nyaluza Nathaniel Nyaluza High School launched a Science Club on May 12. The launch, hosted by the school and directed by Sanele Ntshingana, was a success. Learners in Grades 8-11 from schools such as Mary Waters and Ntsika high schools were impressed with the launch. There were a number of dignitaries who attended the event, for example from the South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity and Rhodes University. The aim of the club launch was to showcase to the learners that science clubs are very helpful to them as they will provide tutoring for the science-related studies. Presentations were done by Science Club chair Sanele Ntshingana, Vera Adams from Rhodes University and Penny Howarth from SAIAB and these were interesting. Teachers from the school showed great support and even contributed to the success of the event. One such teacher is Miss Zukiswa Gora. Nathaniel Nyaluza Science Club members with their guests at the launch In an interview with one of the Science Club members Phelela Hulu about why she joined the club she said, “I’d like to be a scientist one day and being involved with the science club can help me reach my desired career. I’d like to be a Bio-Medical Engineer.” The purpose of this club is to promote science and technology and help develop enthusiasm among the learners. We are transforming our school into a science community. By Sanele Ntshingana, Grade 12, Nathaniel Nyaluza High School Interesting things at SciFest Upstarter Phumlani Fathy putting together a Chinese Lock Puzzle Not so interesting The 2011 SciFest took place in Grahamstown this month. There were so many interesting things to learn. One of the best moments was when we entered a very big baloon. Inside the balloon it was very dark and all you could see were bulbs representing stars in different colours. Each star had its own meaning. We really enjoyed that experience. We also went to see what happens when the globe moves around. We also went to see how toys worked. The toys were at Level Four and the lift took us there. In the toy room there were many different kinds of toys. We were shown how the gears inside the toys worked. We also saw a talking robot. The robot likes to greet and he talks a lot. We then watched animals that died a long time ago, but were made to look like they were still alive. By Siphesihle Diniso, Konke Cekiso, Peter Notlane, Khazimla Dyosi • Grade 8 and 9, Nombulelo High School On 10 th May we visited the Science Festival held at the Monument to find out what was happening there this year. We wanted to see if it had more interesting things to offer than the previous one. It did not. This year’s festival was less interesting, in fact it was so boring. The tour guides were too strict. The show that we did find interesting was the Laser Show. There were few schools that visited the festival. The games were also boring because they were the same games that we played in the past years. Dr Stephan’s show was also interesting. He was doing the Kitchen Chemistry; he taught us how to use chemicals and many things we didn’t know, like molecules in paper etc. For fun we just took pictures of ourselves. By Xolelwa Donyeli, Ntombuvuyo Nogqala, Mandisi Ngcwayi, Khanyisa Nombombo • Grade 10 Nathaniel Nyaluza High School The Robot Sci-Kings Scifest Africa opened the 2011 Afrobot competition. Afrobot is an amateur robotics contest that aims to provide South African learners with support and entertainment. Although this takes place in South Africa, it is also open to teams from around the world. The registration fee was R10 and they supported us with tools that cost about R900. The robot had to be able to move forward, back, left and right and it had to be able to play soccer. Just like any soccer game, the purpose of Afrobot 2011 was to score a goal against the other team in a match that lasted 30 minutes. The playing field was 200 cm wide and 300cm long. The robot had to be remote controlled. The robot had to be built by learners; we didn’t know how to build one but Mr Samkelo Lukashe, a former learner at our school helped us. The Transformer, a robot built by TEM Mrwetyana learners. Some of the schools that took part in the competition came from France, Cape Town, George and Johannesburg and from Grahamstown Looking at hair and skin through a microscope Going to Sci-fest was both cool and fun. We went to the Laser show in the morning; there were many other schools in the theatre. When we first arrived, the music they were playing was boring and we did not enjoy it at all. The laser show was colourful and the music they played during the show was fun. The lasers wrote ‘Science of wine’ and there was a grape that was drawn in the air. We attended a talk called ‘How to make yourself more attractive’. We learnt there that if you want to be healthy you have to exercise and eat healthy. They said that your body mass index must be 18.5 -25 normal weight. By Funeka Thembeni • Grade 9, Ikamvalesizwe Combined School were TEM Mrwetyana, DSG, Mary Waters and Graeme College. Our team’s name was the Robot Sci-Kings and we named our robot Transformer. We lost in the semi-finals to a team from Cape Town called the Rovers and their robot Black Coffee. Building the Afrobot helped us to believe in ourselves because at first we were like we can’t make a robot. However, with the help of Mr Lukashe we were able to make it. Thanks to our teacher Miss Songqwaru for encouraging us to do it and big up to our teammates who are not part of Upstart: Asanda Booi, Akhona Gobizembe, Xolela Ngcete, Mnqweno Jora and Bongani Klaas. A special thanks to the Afrobot managers for such a wonderful experience. By Yanga Nohaji, Anele Gobizembe and Luvuyo Ndayi • Grade 10, TEM Mrwetyana High School word worth knowing W 2 K mulch type of word: noun material which is spread onto soil to prevent water evaporation
UPSTART MAY 2011 REPORT 7 Using our bodies and voices to reach our potential Using voice and movement to express our feelings pictures by: Pumelela Nqelenga Two ‘Self development’ workshops designed to assist Upstarters to reach their true potential and become confident individuals were held in April and May. Consisting of voice production and physical training as well as working on group and individual tasks, Upstarters are trained to deal with current issues. The workshops are facilitated by Rhodes students Sifiso Sikhakhane, Pumelela Nqelenga and Mathabo Tlali. On this page Upstarters reflect on their workshop experiences. It was fun and these were interesting games. Upstarters had a wonderful day because we were all smiling and laughing because it was fun. First we played games like introducing ourselves, our names and Upstarters were asked to be in groups of three. The first group leader was a woman, and the second was a woman too and the third man was Sifiso and we were playing a game of images. Like you will freeze and the leader will give you a photo to represent it by freezing and it was interesting. Our group was given a photo of a sad girl and we had to represent that sad girl. First it was kind of confusing because there was one girl in the photo and there were six of us so presenting one girl and we are many was very confusing. But it was cool. Very cool. Sinovuyo Geelbooi • Grade 9, Nombulelo Senior Secondary School Saturday morning at 9:45 I was at the town library. When I arrived there I was told to go straight to the hall in the library. After that, in the hall there were three students Sifiso, Mathabo, Pumela and Mrs Badat. They introduced themselves and Sifiso told us to do a warm-up Upstarters expressing their horror as they watch a group portraying the sexual abuse of young women exercise just to be fresh. He told us to take off our jerseys and stand in a circle. I did as I was told and after I had done the exercises, we were separated into three groups and I had to go with Mathabo and other number 2’s. In my group we were separated again into three parts. Mathabo gave us pictures in groups and she told us to look at the pictures and discuss it as a group and when we are done that she will come and we will tell her what we saw. We did that and it was about a girl who was carrying a child and had a sad face. Maybe her parents died of hunger and Aids because it is the disease. So we told Mathabo and she said that we must find a way to make a real photo that we will do ourselves without a camera. We were six in my group and I found it very hard because we were many and in the picture there were two characters. But we came up with a plan that would show the characters as well as the sadness. After all the groups had a chance to finish up we then gathered along and the Sis Pumela was pointing groups out to perform on stage. We did it and the groups did too. The best is that I had so much fun and learned a lot. And I had a chance to communicate with other Upstart members. And not only that, I learned that even if you are doing a hard thing, there are people who are always there to support you and they will make it easier for you. My last words are “Thanks to the Upstart Club and members who were there when we needed more knowledge and I hope Upstart will be there for generations to come”. Nolubabalo Vongo • Grade 9, CM Vellem Higher Primary School Upstarters portraying the violence and abuse of young women On Saturday we met at the library in Hill street for the second Self Development Workshop. We got there and met three Rhodes students, Pumelela, Laura and Sifiso, who are studying towards drama degrees. They led us in the exercises we did together. We first did some warm-ups to loosen up. We jumped, kicked, threw punches and sang at the same time. After warming up, every person was given a number between one and four, and split up into groups accordning to what number you were given. Each group was given a topic which they were supposed to illustrate or symbolise using their body parts and facial expressions. For example, if your group was given the topic rape, you had to look sad, worried, uncomfortable and freeze to make a picture. We also had to make up a song about the topic that we were acting out. When we did our freezing act the other groups had to try to work out what we were doing. Other groups did acts about peer pressure, corporal punishment and drug abuse. Every group from the first to the last was perfect and did a great job working together. Before we went on stage acting or symbolising our topics Laura told us about flash mobs. These are performances which can take place anywhere and involve, dancing, freezes etc. Laura asked if Upstart members would like to take part in the flash mobs she will be organising for festival. On the whole, the Upstart Self Development Workshop was fun, we had a lovely day. We would like to thank Laura, Pumelela and Sifiso for their time on Saturday. By Ziphozihle Goje • Grade 9, Nombulelo High School and Xola Joni • Grade 10, TEM Mrewtyana High School You are afraid because they will laugh at you This is a trap A big trap You fall and you are afraid to get up and try again You always take things too personally not understanding the fact it’s not about anyone, it is about you trying trying hard and getting up You study, you fail you budget but you can’t use money wisely you try to run away from your problems, but problems keep following you you fall and become too afraid to get up and try You do things openly to show the world but when things go bad, you run and try to hide your problems, but you forget that you are the one that showed the world now when you fall you become afraid to get up and try You buy something nice for yourself, to impress people when your parents become bankrupt you start suffering, now you become shy now you become afraid to go to the street because before the community knew you you were the richest and you treated yourself as the richest when money ends you become shy, you just think of suicide because you can’t stand poverty, you can’t stand suffering it’s not about the world, it’s about you getting up and trying it’s never too late You do things for your mother you study because your parents are telling you to do so. you do things to prove a point to someone you make dumb sacrifices you fail at school you go back to your mother and shout at her for no reason why can’t you be independent for once in your life It’s not about the world, it’s not about your teacher it’s about you getting up and trying it’s never too late to go back and pick up the pieces Chwayita Mfihlo • Grade , Simzamile Senioe Secondary School. (The reason I wrote this poem is that I had a friend who always thought she was better than others. Then things got bad at home. Her father lost his job and they were forced to move back to the township. She committed suicide and left a note saying, “I am sorry, I can’t stand poverty and my friends all laugh at me”.) W 2 word worth knowing K anchor type of word: noun someone who coordinates a television or radio broadcast by asking questions, giving information to the audience and also leading the audience into different segments of the show
Page 1 and 2: 1 The paper for youth by youth Tues
Page 3 and 4: UPSTART MAY 2011 LETTERS 3 Dear Ups
Page 5: UPSTART MAY 2011 5 Upstarters go li
Page 9 and 10: UPSTART MAY 2011 9 Problems at our
Page 11 and 12: UPSTART MAY 2011 11 Jasmine’s Bea
Page 13 and 14: UPSTART MAY 2011 ARTS 13 Amaphiko d
Page 15 and 16: UPSTART MAY 2011 eREVIEW 15 What th

Inside this edition: - Grocott's Mail

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?