The Addelita Cancryn Junior High School auditorium took on a global perspective Friday as 21 Geo Digital All Stars presented their research on some other places on the planet, under the school’s "We are One World" project.
The school is divided into academic teams, and Friday belonged to the 91 students of Team H. It was the team’s second annual digital awards program, though a passerby could be excused from thinking a sporting event must be going on inside from the almost constant cheering. Actually, it was a sporting event of a sort, an academic jousting.
Which is what geography teacher Wendy Diaz had in mind when she assigned the project in November when she gave her students a challenge she hoped would engage their minds and imaginations. She assigned each student a place on the globe ranging from Africa’s tiny Gambia to the Falkland Islands, Central America and even the state of Maryland.
Their task was to study all components of their locale and compare them with the Virgin Islands, with an eye to how the two could help one another.
"The students already had a foundation from the studying of some other countries," Diaz said, "so they were asked to study places in terms of what is actually being successful in education, economy, crime and infrastructure, what we could learn from them, what we need to do here, and how we could help them."
The veteran teacher praised youthful minds. "The kids come up with the most unique ideas. In their innocence, they think anything could possibly happen," she said.
For instance, T’Shai Israel, who studied Ghana, suggested the Virgin Islands should consider building an amusement park on one of the nearby cays to diversify our economy. She said what we could offer Ghana was our knowledge of building strong borders.
Diaz said, "If you want to build an amusement park or a water park, that’s an example of imagination. I let them see they are not too young to understand the importance of getting a good education and to understand part of the responsibility becomes theirs as well."
The mostly sophisticated digital presentations belied the work of seventh-graders. Many were very complex. Diaz said the students worked together, sharing knowledge on a computer that was donated for the project.
As it turned out, tiny Akira Pickering Hayes took first prize with her presentation of the tiny country of Gambia.
Hayes, a vibrant, outgoing personality, took top honors with her caring presentation of her country. "It’s the smallest in Africa," she explained. "And it’s the friendliest and it has the least crime. We can learn from them how we can lower our crime rate. That’s so important."
Jaden Collymore, who was one of the top 10 winners, took on Nicaragua with one of the most compelling digital presentations, complete with curtains opening to illustrate aspects of the country.
Her mother, Hilary Linke, said, "I finally had to buy her her own computer. This is all she’s studied for months now. She’s creating a Green Island she says."
Following is the list of winners. Diaz said every student received an award of some sort.
And they all received the rousing cheers of their schoolmates.
The Top 10 Super Powers (a title they receive on their shiny awards):
1. Akira Pickering Hayes – Gambia
2. Keanne Etienne – Nigeria
3. Kayla Mitchell – Guinea
4. Melissa Piton – Burkina Faso
5. Pamela Collin – Portugal
6. Nailah Smith – Trinidad
7. Monae Edmeade – El Salvador
8. Jaden Collymore – Nicaragua
9. Amaud Peters – Maryland
10. Elijah Salem – Bahamas (tied with) Joneyse Francis – Falkland Islands
