Meet the 10 enterprising SHS interns of the JCIP

The first ever paid internship for Senior High School students in Ghana, being run by the Junior Camp Ghana initiative of the GhanaThink Foundation has passed its first month. Another month awaits. Here are the first 10 interns of the JCIP, sharing their reasons for applying to the programme:

Felix Dewornu, Lamudi Ghana (Alumnus, St. Augustine's College) "I see the JCIP as a networking platform to create relationships that would go a long way to help me identify my innate skills, and map them to my future career goals.I see myself in the military, with a degree in Pharmacy. I hope to further my education while in the military, and enter the corporate world as an entrepreneur. My hobbies are reading,watching movies,playing video games,playing and watching soccer. My favorite position is right full back(2) and my favorite team is Chelsea fc, my favorite Chelsea player is Willian Borges da Silva."

Benjamin Kornu, Hatua Solutions (Alumnus, St. Mary's Seminary High School) "The JCIP I believe would help me gain skills, and experience needed to achieve my dreams. I trust the programme will help me get an ideal idea about my career goals. I want to become an IT Engineer in future, with a great interest in humanitarian development. I enjoy playing soccer,watching movies, playing the comic relief, and using the computer."

Georgina Damilie, Agripro (Alumna, Accra Girls' High School) "I relish the immense networking opportunity the JCIP promises to provide me. I hope to learn of relevant skills and trends that would inform my career decisions. I’ve developed a curiosity for journalism and communications related careers, and hope to pursue a degree in broadcast journalism and marketing communications."

Felix Gborglah, Impact Hub Accra (Alumnus, Pacesetters Senior High School) "I see the JCIP as a platform to ‘test drive’ possible jobs based on my interests. The possibility of gaining new insights that can’t be got from the classroom is an attraction of mine to the programme. I aspire to become a medical doctor, to help fight diseases and find permanent solutions to some tropical ones."

Cedric Nudanu, Jovago Ghana (Alumnus, St. Martin's Senior High School) "I applied to participate in the Junior Camp Internship Programme because of the experience and exposure I believe I’d gain. I also see it as a launch pad into my tertiary education and career. I want to become a lawyer in future, to help promote justice in my community. I have interests in Archaeology and Heritage Studies."

Maame Yaa Serwaa Bona-Mensa, iSpace (Alumna, Archbishop Porter's Girls Senior High School) "I am optimistic the JCIP would help me focus my interests better to achieving my career goals. I believe it will improve my networking skills as well, while making me discover my strengths and weaknesses. My career interests are diverse: Engineering, Music and Arts, and Film-making! My hobbies are; listening to music, writing my journal and poems, acting in my mirror, taking pictures, reading interesting books, watching interesting movies, funny videos and music videos."

Ishmael Adjei, Oilseed Investments (Alumnus, Osu Presbyterian Senior High School) "I believe the JCIP would set me apart from other candidates as I progress in life. Networking with my fellow participants and other stakeholders is also an attraction for me applying to the programme. I aspire to be an investigative journalist in future, and harbour a passionate interest for graphic design, which I wish to use to enhance communication of information to the public. I enjoy advocating on radio and on social media too as well, aside that, I also like designing and writing poems in relation to issues affecting young people and the world at large. I envision a world where, children enjoy their rights and other policies also work."

Thomas Agoe Armah, Agripro (Alumnus, Nungua Senior High School) "I applied to the JCIP to experience the work environment and also gain a great insight into my chosen field. I look forward to honing my skills and meeting other individuals from different backgrounds. I hope to attain the highest academic laurel I can, and work in the medical or agricultural fields."

Thelma Agbakpe, Impact Hub Accra (Alumna, Keta Senior High & Technical School) "I see Ghana as a country where there’s more talk, and less action. I applied to the JCIP as I believe it would help me perfect my potentials which would be geared towards making a positive impact in my community. I am looking forward to studying English at the university and see myself as a public speaker, author, and lawyer."

Sheilla Gyamfi Lamudi Ghana (Alumna, Swedru Senior High School) "I see the JCIP as a platform, to enable young people develop their skills and talents while waiting to further their education. I look forward to networking with other individuals and putting into practice what I learnt in the classroom. I want to study Business Administration, and build a career in Organizational Planning and Management."

Sobolo chemistry, and flour dough physics

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Students and teachers will celebrate the achievements of Lab_13 Ghana, a pilot project which has been running in the Bosomtwe District since March, on Saturday 1 August.

Lab_13, a space dedicated to practical experimentation and hands on learning, is aiming to change the way science is taught in schools, starting with the Bosomtwe District.
Pushing books aside, instead of pictures of circuits, students of Lab_13 Ghana have wired up standing fans, handkerchief driers, and moving boats. Instead of reading about how aeroplanes can fly, students have explored principles of aerodynamics with paper aeroplanes, ping pong balls and straws.

The closing ceremony will be held at the lab's host school, Agape Academy, Jachie, Bosomtwe District, and will take place between 9am and 3pm. The programme wil be run by the Lab_13 Ghana Student Management Comittee, 7 students from JHS1 and JHS2 who oversee the running of the lab space.
The ceremony will showcase some of the activities LAb_13 Ghana have carried out over the last four months and will include speeches from the Students Management Committee, science demonstrations, and cultural displays. Work from the Lab_13 students will be exhibited, including boats from the Lab_13 Titanic 2015 inter-schools boat making competition, and inventions and creations from the Lab_13 Saturday Science Club.

The Lab, which has been been working closely with the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), has provided hands-on learning opportunities to over 800 students from 30 different schools overt the last four months.

Saviour Okine, alumnus of KNUST, and Scientist in Residence of Lab_13 Ghana, is one of the facilitators making the lab a success.

The ability to solve problems through practical scientific approaches is a prerequisite in the development of generational leaders. Lab_13 Ghana gives students the opportunity to question and to experiment, it provides a space where they can harness the skills they, and Ghana, need for success, growth and positive change.

Teachers in the Bosomtwe district have been extremely positive about the lab.
Obed Adjei, Science Master at the Future Academy, Adagya said, "There has been a tremdous impact on my students from the Lab_13 Ghana project. Not only has Lab_13 helped encourage as an interest in science but it has also improved the confidence levels, communication skills and practical abilities of my students."

The end of term celebration will mark the end of phase 1 of the project. Phase 1 was supported through an online crowd-sourcing campaign run by UK Science charities, Lightyear Foundation, and Ignite Futures.

Moving forward the project is looking for support through local sponsorship. Phase 2 of the project sees the Lab expands to ore districts through the support of an Advisory Board made up of Ghanaian experts in education, science and industry.

Gameli Adzaho, member of the Ghanaian Advisory Board for the project said, "As a science educator, I recognise the potential of the Lab_Ghana model in transforming the cognitive and problem-solving skills of the pupils under training.
Having interacted extensively with Lab_13 Ghana junior scientists and SiRs, I have no doubt the project is igniting dreams and shining the spotlight on the brilliance of the pupils and the difference they can make to Bosomtwe and beyond.
we want to take this further afield, maybe one day to the other parts of Ghana. What we need now are funds and other logistics to bring our aspirations to life. Too many times good ideas in Ghana wither away due to lack of support.
The Ghanaian Advisory Board is committed to partnering with interested individuals and organisations to ensure that the project thrives and continues making the amazing impact already in motion."

ENDS

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For further information, please contact the Lab_13 Ghana:
Lab_13Ghana(at)lightyearfoundation(dot)org

A bit of me revealed?

Last night, my friends (university classmates) on WhatsApp put me on the group's 'Hot Seat'.
This is a practice we began last week to get to know ourselves better and also get answers to some questions we've long wanted to ask one another.
Here's a record of how mine went. I understand it's the first round of questions for me. (oops!)