GAC Students visit Neotropical Butterfly Park for Research

Six are members of AlphaMax 's 2012 Global Assessment Program class visited The Neotropical Butterfly Park in Lelydorp on Thursday 17th May on a research field trip. The students are writing a research paper on a local environmental site for their science course 023. Their reports will be sent to Australia for moderation.


The GAC 2012 group consisted of Yamil Baptista, Gabriel Grauwde, Timothy Naarendorp, Vinantia Nandlal, Ruth Saman and Kristina Taylor, and was accompanied by three tutors--Mr. Milton Drepaul ( Director of the GAC program), Mr. Emiel Krak ( Deputy Principal and Head of Science) , Mr.Osafa Johnson -Science tutor, Ms. Sharon Hoppie ( Middle School Director) and Ms. Zabeeda Nazir( Middle School Tutor).

The Neotropical Butterfly Park is owned and operated by  Amera Eriks and Ewout Eriks.

The group left school at about 8.15 am and returned at 2pm. During the field trip the weather was sunny and fine but when they returned there was a tropical rainstorm in the city.

The tasks that the group did were: recording  abiotic variables they  in the park area;describing and recording the size and type of plant population in the study area;looking at  animal distribution on the site; selecting and classifying a total of six species; constructing food chains and webs for the ecosystem;describing human influence in the park and looking at the relationship between the various elements in the ecosystem.

The students thoroughly enjoyed the experience and also a delicious meal in their cafe. They appreciated the fact that Mrs. Eriks made the park available to them exclusively for the period they visited. Mr. & Mrs Eriks have two children attending the AlphaMax Academy and have previously extended their hospitality to the school.  In particular, the group would like to thank our tour guide, Rachel Dontono, for the excellent way in which she guided us through the park.
Ruth Saman

The Neotropical Butterfly Park is unique experience.  It is not only peaceful and relaxing, but also educational.  We would recommend that anyone who wants a taste of the Surinamese tropical rainforest should visit this beautiful park.

A DUAL CELEBRATION & RECEPTION - Opening the West Wing of AlphaMax Academy’s School Facility

A DUAL CELEBRATION & RECEPTION

On Sunday evening, May 6^th, Mrs Kitty Ameerali, the wife of Suriname’s Vice-President, joined the Ambassador of India and his wife, Mrs. K.J.S. Sodhi, along with several members of the international community, and scores of AlphaMax Academy students, parents and friends at the opening of the renovated West Wing of the AlphaMax school facility on Stanvastestraat in Zorg-en-hoop. 

It was a Dual Celebration which also highlighted the Birth Anniversary Celebration of Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore – the first non-European to win a Nobel Prize.

First, Mrs. Sodhi, wife of the Ambassador of India, cut the ribbon for the Tagore bust-garlanding ceremony which took place in the garden adjoining the AlphaMax facility.  Ambassador Sodhi, ICC Director Sunil Bhalla, George Ramjiawansingh of ArtVibes, and Emiel Krak and Milton Drepaul of the AlphaMax Academy, subsequently joined Mrs. Sodhi in placing garlands around the impressive 250 kg bronze bust of Tagore which was sculpted in India.

Later that evening, Mrs. Kitty Ameerali cut the ribbon leading to the West Wing of the renovated school facility.  The West Wing was expressly named after Tagore, the international humanist who had devoted  large portion of his adult life to education and teaching.  Tagore was the founder of the world famous Shantiniketan school and the Viswa Bharati University in India.

The ‘dual celebration’ on May 6^th was the AlphaMax Academy’s culmination of a year of activities revolving around India’s poet laureate Tagore in Suriname.

To recap, activities in close collaboration with the Embassy of India and the Indian Cultural Center of Suriname included:

1.  In May 2011:  An art exhibition and cultural evening which included dance and poetry at Fort Zeelandia – co-sponsored by Art-Vibes, ICC and the AlphaMax Academy
2. The Tagore Bust-unveiling ceremony on June 4^th, 2011, where Suriname’s First Lady Ingrid Waldring-Bouterse unveiled the bust with Ambassador K.J.S. Sodhi.  One of the highlights of the Tagore bust-unveiling ceremony was the ICC-sponsored Bihu Dance Troupe which had travelled from Assim, India, to perform.  This was their premiere performance in Paramaribo.
3. Activities also included creative writing and art competitions for students and also adults in Suriname.  The panel of judges included members of the University of Suriname, Schrijvers Groep ‘77, and prominent artists.  The Awards ceremony was held at the Anton de Kom University of Suriname last October.
4. Finally, there were also lectures and video presentations on the life and work of Tagore at various venues.

Rabindranath Tagore was born on May 7th, 1861, and died on August 7th, 1941. The Tagore bust at the AlphaMax Academy is one of a dozen effigies unveiled worldwide to mark the 150th Birth Anniversary Celebrations worldwide. Tagore is the author of one of the anthems students and teachers of the AlphaMax community use daily in school assemblies.

AlphaMax opens Rabindranath Tagore Wing

AlphaMax opens its new west wing this afternoon. There will be an open evening with an Art Exhibition, DVDs done by the school and visual material supplied by ICC Suriname.

The evening is also a celebration of Rabindranath Tagore's birth anniversary.The new wing is named -the Rabindranath Tagore Wing. A bust of the distinguished Indian artist and Nobel Prize winner was placed in the gardens of the school in 2010. It is a state gift from the government and people of India to the government and people of Suriname.

Visitors will be able too see the DVD 'Msiba, My love' which has audio in seven languages. AlphaMax is also releasing its DVD of its 2010 dramatic presentation 'Many Faces of Love'. Both these DVDs were done by Shafeek Nazir -2011 Graduate.