Upstart 10 Nov 09.pdf - Grocott's Mail

4 UPSTART 10 NOVEMBER 2009The ins and outs of MAKANA JUNIOR CITY COUNCILUpstart members, Sinethemba Baxana and Zintle Ngoyi interviewing Junior City Council Mayor Danielle WiblinWhat is the Junior CityCouncil?It is a community basedproject, it is not like theMakana Council and wedon’t have any real power.How is the councilelected?There must be tworepresentatives from eachschool. Those that areinterested apply to theteacher involved and theteacher will decide whocan be on the council.If you want to be amember of the council,what must you do?The school teachers decidewho will be on the council.A fax is sent out to all theschools every year invitinglearners to apply for thecouncil.When is the next councilgoing to be appointed?The elections are held atthe end of October everyyear when we have aclosing function.How many learners areon the council?Not a lot of people areinterested so we haveabout 30 learners on thecouncil.What projects areyou involved in as thecouncil?We do a lot of recyclingprojects, clean-ups and binpainting. At the momentwe are working with theMasihlule project, which isa recycling project. We willalso be doing a fundraiser,a car wash and we haveattended a few Makanacouncil meetings just tosee how the municipality isworking.Is it fun being on thecouncil?Sometimes it is, but it’s notwhen only a few peoplespeak at the meetings.Which positions are therein the council?There’s mayor, which I am.There’s treasurer AndiswaPeter from Riebeek EastCollege, deputy mayorJordan Maze from StAndrews College andsecretary Portia Moemedifrom Hoërskool PJ Olivier.Do you choose thecouncil based on age?Yes, of the tworepresentatives from eachschool one must be fromGrade 10 and the otherfrom Grade 11.Are there adults involvedin this council?Yes, there is only Mrs Louwwho helps us where it isneeded and she startedthis project. But we runthe meetings ourselvesand we meet once everymonth.By Sinethemba Baxana, Grade9 and Zintle Ngoyi, Grade 8Nathaniel Nyaluza High SchoolScience is funThe mobile ScienceLaboratory is a RhodesUniversity Outreach projectwhich was started in 2002by Mrs Rhona Duncan. Themobile lab brings a sciencelaboratory to 13 schoolsaround Grahamstown so thatthe learners can have handsonpractical experience. Theproject has one vehicle andone set of equipment thatthey use to service all 13schools and the project coordinatorCheryl Craig workswith two assistants NomhleNdubela and Nkosana Yeyeas well as Kelly Long whoworks as administrativeassistant. Upstart membersfrom Archie Mbolekwa SeniorPrimary School interviewedNomhle Ndubela who is aChief Laboratory Assistant atthe Mobile Science Lab.Who benefits from thisinitiative?The learners and teachers atthe schools we visit.What inspired you to jointhis project?I matriculated at NombuleloHigh School in 2001 and sowhile I was a learner therewere no equipment. We usedto memorise the practicalsfrom the text books. Alsoour teachers used to dodemonstrations for us.Which subjects did youlearn at school?Maths, Science and BiologyWhich schools do you workwith?We work with High Schoolsas well as higher primaryschools.How do you choose thepracticals you are going todo with the learners?We take what is in thecurriculum and do it. InGrade 12 we focus onwhat is required in CASS (Continuous Assesment).What difficulties do youface each and everyday onthis job?Sometimes when bothlearners and teachers aren'tcooperating for exampleteachers book us to come totheir schools for a lesson andwhen we get there he or sheis not there. The other side iswhen learners make a lot ofnoise whilst we are teaching.What do you love aboutthis job?Being in the classroom andhelping learners.What special message canyou give to us as youngLearners at Archie Mbolekwa school have fun with the Mobile Science Labpeople?You have to learn and workhard so that you can besuccesful.If someone wants yourhelp or wants to researchsomething scientific, howcan they find you?They can contact me directlyat: Nomhle at 071 032 1617or go to info@mobilelab.