HILARY HOSIA
The International Conference Center showcased exceptional works of art and student creativity during the Social Citizenship and Education/Science Fair on Tuesday.
It was refreshing to see young students glued in while Chellynn Jelke from Rita Elementary School explained how pollution affects the community. The sixth grader was animated and well-versed in her topic — not bad for a three-minute solo presentation.
A couple of feet over was a group of eighth graders from Majuro Middle School moving between their illuminated (literally) cardboard display of the nuclear fallout and what appeared to be a smart solar city. “We brought our own extension to light up our presentation,” Neina Ned said. Her partner Anna deBrum went on and listed the number of bombs that were dropped on Bikini and how the fallout from the Bravo bomb resulted in medical illness and jellyfish babies.
Between Henritha Balance, Flora Battery, Jamda Loeak and April Zepty, Flora was the most verbal as she described the solar city and how the environment will benefit if people rely on green energy. Their presentation felt more like a salesman pitch, persuading you to convert to green energy.
On the opposite aisle was a display similar to that of a medicine cabinet with “home remedy” stenciled on the cardboard. The display was manned by two eighth graders from Seventh Day Adventist Alexander Milne and Nathaniel Kaneko.
“Are you two running a pharmacy?” I asked. The two smiled. “What you see here is already at your house,” the two said. Remedies for runny nose or sore throat, they got it. “Just rub pineep (coconut oil) under your nose area or around your nose and that should do the trick,” they said.
Some of the displays were self-explanatory yet very innovative.
Take the case of Laura Elementary School students Junior Kare and Malani Michael. The fifth graders built a trash can from used plastic water bottles. Pretty simple and usable.
Then there was the trio from Majuro Middle School with their homemade mosquito repellent. Lucytalynn Jeto, Samuel Timison and Jolita Peter recommended using homemade mosquito repellent because it saves money and it lasts longer than store-bought mosquito coils. The propane burner and melted candle is proof the three had been demonstrating the process throughout the day. You take candles and melt them.
Then you mould them and add cloves spice and vapor rub and you got yourself a mosquito repellent candle.
In the middle of the event, it was announced on the loud speakers that President Hilda Heine will be joining the fair. The students rushed back to their stations ready to showoff their ingenuity. One group stood out with the President: MMS seventh grade duo Chris Joseph and David Antolok. The two had a mini rocket display at their station and a laptop with a video clip on the screen. The short film showed the creation of the rocket and the rocket soaring several meters towards the sky and then popped, a mini parachute blew out and the rocket slowly made its way down. President Hilda was impressed and the two boys were proud.
I was most impressed by MSS eighth graders Jenai Jorbon and Ermilalynn Moncure and their presentation titled “acidic assault.” The two displayed confidence and were very well-versed in their dialogue on how the local economy contributed to the acidic levels in the water.
“Even the smoke emitting from our power plant hurts the ocean eco system especially the seashells and corals,” they said. The entire display lasted five minutes and the two had their presentation memorized, they even answered questions while interrupted and continued without missing a beat.