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.

Pearson College in Vancouver Canada Offers a Scholarship to A Suriname student

While there are scholarship programs available for Surinamese students to study off-island after graduating from high school, few have the opportunity to attend a high school abroad. Lester B. Pearson College of the Pacific, located on Vancouver Island ,in Canada, is now offering such a scholarship.

 The College is pleased to announce that the 2012-13 academic year will see the first-ever selection for a scholarship to Pearson College in Suriname. Lester B. Pearson College is a member of the United World Colleges or UWCs. UWCs are an association of twelve international boarding campuses situated all over the world.

Ms. Suzanne Tremblay, Manager Special Projects will visit Suriname on Mar 29 and Mar 30 to meet student and interview students who are interested in the scholarship to Pearson.

After graduation, UWC alumni have doors open to the world’s best universities, with high numbers accepted every year to Ivy League schools, including Harvard, Princeton and Dartmouth, as well as to Oxford and Cambridge in Britain.

 Lester B. Pearson United World College of the Pacific is committed to providing educational opportunities to students from the Americas, the College decided to extend an offer of a full scholarship for two years, worth approximately $80 000, to a high school sophomore or junior from Guyana. The scholarship covers tuition, accommodation, food, books for the academic years 2012-13 and 2013-14. A committee of leading educators and alumni from the College will select the student.

Five associates with the AlphaMax Academy attended the first Virtual Educa Caribbean conference,  with  a focus on the non  Spanish-speaking Caribbean that was held in Paramaribo at the TBL February 29 to March 2nd, 2012. The event took place concurrently with the VII Inter-American Meeting of Ministers of Education organized by the Organization of the American States.
The objectives of the Virtual Educa Caribbean conference were to:

1. To include non Spanish-speaking Caribbean region in the activities of Virtual Educa.
2. Offer participants the opportunity to see concrete evidence of how ICTs (Information and Communication Technologies) and innovation in education are applied, including examples and best practices through workshops, exhibits and conferences.
3. Focus  not only on advanced technology but also show participants the low-tech means that are available.

One outstanding seminar was presented by Dr. Kenneth Sylvester, of the Caribbean Knowledge and Learning Network (CKLN).  The first public announcement  of the Caribbean’s dedicated research and education high-speed fiber optic network, C@ribNET was completed.  The Project Purpose is to improve the relevance of tertiary education and training institutions in the Caribbean, by increasing the number of relevant accredited tertiary education courses and programs supported and offered to a significantly increased numbers of Caribbean students.
Other associates of AMA, please fell free to write about all the outstanding seminars!

Antonio Quintella visits Suriname

 Antonia Quintella, one of Brazil’s well known male singer visited our country, Suriname, from February 6 until February 27 of this year.   


His most famous album is Relijare on which two of his most praised covers are of the songsMy Sweet Lord, originally by George Harrision who was a member of the Beatles, and Rastaman Vibration originally by Bob Marley.  


Antonio  is  a close friends with our headmaster, Mr. Taylor, since the early 80’s. Mr. Quintella visited the school .  He had a lovely chat with us on February 9. 


At the Presidential reception for Miss India Worldwide contestants on Feb 21,Antonio was asked by President Bouterse to sing. The audience wildly applauded his rendition.He was also requested by our president, Desi Bouterse, to sing at the installation of Brazil’s and Guyana’s new Ambassadors on Feb. 22. 

Minache Sawh just started working in the Finance Department as the Accounts and Administration Officer of the AlphaMax Academy .
Minache recently returned to Suriname from Tallahassee, Florida where she  worked as the Center Manager of Advance America and as an Eligibility Specialist at Affiliated Computer Services, a company of Xerox.  Please join us in welcoming Minache Sawh to the AMA!

Christmas Greetings

Christmas Greetings

Learn more about Msiba, My Love

Lily Strand publishing has created a website---http://www.msibamylove.com so that online viewers can learn more about their latest publication -Msiba,My Love and its writer Ivan A. Khayiat.


It is also possible to order the book online.


The site has material from Ivan A. Khayiat's early collection of poems Quest by Day, Vigil by Night.. Msiba was launched last Friday in Suriname and has had an enthusiastic response from the public.


This coffee table photo book with the Tagore  award winning poem is a collector's item and an ideal gift. The book is an excellent example of the creative skill of Surinamese.


The book was printed by Suriprint N.V and Design work was done by Studio TMC and ChadLab.com.


Suriname buyers can come to the AlphaMax Academy to get their copies.

Successful Visit to Jarikaba

By Jonathan Liu--High School Senior and member of Business Class

On Wednesday December 14, 2011 the AlphaMax Academy business students went to Jarikaba Stichting Behold Bananen Sector (SBBS). The students left school at 8:00 am and arrived at the Jarikaba banana plantation forty five minutes later. When they arrived to the plantation Mr. Barsingh -the head of agronomic and research department- greeted the student with a warm welcome.            

After a long trip with the bus the business students arrived at the banana plantation. They then rode three more minutes to the banana field. Mr. Barsingh described the field and the banana plants.  Jarikaba has three farms and each farm has a manager and two supervisors.   

                                                                                                             

The banana field is 1280 hectares long. One hectare has 1900 banana trees .The banana are covered with blue plastic bags, so that the pests cannot get to the banana.    

                                                                                                                       

The field has an old sprinkler system to water the banana trees when the field is dry (mostly on hot days). They are trying to put a new sprinkler system. The banana trees are 1.65 M away from each other and are planted in a triangular pattern, so that each tree can get the same amount sun light.

After the field trip the students went to the packinghouse. There is where the bananas are packed in boxes and shipped to other countries. In the packing house the bananas are examined to see if the bananas are too ripe or not ripe. If the banana is not so ripe they are going to export it and if the banana is ripe the going to sell it to the Suriname local market.           

                                                                                                                                             

After the examining the bananas they are then thrown into a pool of water with soap to wash the latex off the banana. The workers then examine to find out if some of the bananas are rotten. If there are rotten bananas they throw them away.  The workers throw the bananas back in to another pool of clean water to wash out the soap .When they are clean the workers pick them up for packing.   

                                

The workers pack the bananas in boxes with two different colors- green and red.                                                                                       

The green boxes are for small bananas and the red box for larger bananas. Further on, the air in the boxes with banana is sucked out, so that the bananas won’t ripen during shipping.

After a long day Mr. Barsingh invited the business students to sit down and gave the students something to drink and to eat. He also told the students about some future plans for the banana sector. It was time to go back to school so the AlphaMax Academy business students thanked Mr. Barsingh for the tour. The students also got some bananas to bring back home.