Passing on the Legacy

As my Close of Service draws near, I find myself busier than ever! These last couple months, the Shika na Mikono team and I have been preparing to hand over the reigns to the Education Class that arrived in 2014.  After the application and selection process were completed, nerds both old and new met up in Morogoro to give the new class a look into what they signed up for.

Math focused volunteers got an extra long look as they first journeyd up to Dar es Salaam to represent Shika na Mikono and Peace Corps at a Pi Day event. 

Teaching a little Math on the Ultimate Pi Day!

Rick uses a bucket lid with nails in it to teach geometry

They then came down and met up with the rest of the team in Morogoro. They dove right in the next day as we walked to Morogoro Secondary School with a student count over 1,700! We met with the Headmaster (who I had been in contact with to arrange the science day) and the heads of department for Biology, Chemistry and Physics. 

After proper introductions, the new Shika members went to work planning science day. They selected the demonstrations they would do and made supply lists. We then all took a field trip accompanied by the Headmaster to the District Office of Education to introduce ourselves and inform them about our science day to be held the next day. After a lunch break, we broke into groups to supply shop and spent the remainder of the preparing.

We were bored with nothing to plan/prep. Can you tell?
This skeleton is the remains of a teacher that formerly taught biology at the school. 

How the chemistry department organizes all of their very dangerous chemicals. It looks like a mad scientist lab!

Bright and early the next day we headed out to the school to prepare and conducted a very successful science day! 

In biology, the students participated in demonstrations including osmosis, meiosis, diffusion and food chains.

Sharon teaches diffusion with food coloring and water

Lucy, you got some explaining your doin!

Chemistry prepared hands-on demonstrations about acids and basis

Hands-on is what we are all about!

Will teaching about acids

Garret talking about indicators

Physics performed activities about real and apparent depth, cohesion and adhesion, circuits and Newton’s laws.

Ali shows students how the water changes the appearance of the straw

hands-on activity about apparent depth

kids playing with circiuts using wire, bottle caps and batteries

Emily teaching about circuits

Rick teaching about force and Newton's laws

 The final day of the handover meeting was more administrative and focused on making sure current projects were properly passed on.

I’m so excited for this new group to continue on the legacy of Shika na Mikono! 

The oldies

The new kids

Tupo!