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Aliens, robots and
drama at Garden
Students are so
eager to gather evidence about the moon landing, alien art, alien drama,
etcetera.
GIS students Jida,
Yukta, Tanisha,
Salena and Arpan
Students did drama, drawing and debating as they enjoyed
a special science day at school.
On June 16, students from Garden International School
(GIS) in Ban Chang, Rayong, created several science-based objects which were
buried in a time capsule.
Students are lining up to
help bury their time capsule at Garden International School.
The Science Fact/Fiction day began by listening to an
introduction about science. Topics like evidence about the moon landing,
alien art, alien drama, theatre, advertising about aliens and arguing about
whether they are real or not were some of the activities.
Some students even dressed up as aliens and astronauts,
and designed their own creatures, robot and other scientific gadgets.
Year 7 student Yukta said, “My favorite part was
discussing about whether the Americans were really the first to land on the
moon or if it was fake.”
In the afternoon, students put their work into a time
capsule, which was buried in the school grounds. It will be dug up again in
20 years.
Along with the students’ work, Head of EAL Mr Berry even
donated his own watch and added it to the time capsule!
Head of EAL Mr Berry donates
his watch to the time capsule, watched by GIS Principal Dave Moroney.
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An Asian Experience begins for 23 European Students at Asian U
Two European students during the traditional Bai
Sri welcome ceremony.
Ulrich Werner
The 6th International Summer University ‘An Asian
Experience’ started on July 23 with a Bai Sri, a traditional welcome
ceremony from northern Thailand, to welcome the participants as new members
of the Asian U family. In this candlelight ceremony, each student is
provided with a white wrist band from each lecturer and fellow student.
Practicing traditional Thai sports.
The three-week programme started with an introduction to
Thai history and culture by Dr. Viphandh Roengpithya, president and founder
of Asian University in Huay Yai, Banglamung.
The students attend two graduate courses to become
immersed in Business in Asia and in Cross-cultural Communication. Seminars
are conducted on the Asian U campus, in Jomtien, Chiang Mai and Bangkok, and
a weekend on Koh Samet helps to relax.
An introduction to Thai traditional sports in the evening of the first
class day built the bridge between the European and the Thai culture with a
lot of fun: an egg race, a tug of war, and a sack race, which are well known
in many cultures.
Summer University 2011 participants
with Dr Viphandh Roengpithya, president of Asian University.
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Earth Day student art on display at Amari through Aug. 7
Deputy Mayor Ronakit
Ekasingh examines one of the artworks on display.
Elfi Seitz
Prize-winning drawings by students illustrating the
“colors of nature” for Earth Day are on display at the Amari Orchid
Resort & Tower through Aug. 7.
The winning entry’s the annual Earth Day “art for the
planet,” staged in collaboration with the Onyx Hospitality group, went
on display July 15 after showings in Bangkok and Phuket.
Deputy Mayor Ronakit Ekasingh cut the opening day
exhibit for the show, which actually offers the student artwork for
sale. He stressed the importance of education in improving environmental
awareness and thanked the Amari for its contest, proceeds of which go to
the “Baht for a Better Life” charity drive for poor children.
The deputy mayor expressed hope Pattaya students will
be able to participate in next year’s contest.
Caring for kids living with HIV and disabilities
Lewis Underwood
Friday, August 5th, the Canadian Jackalope Open holds
their 13th annual fund-raising event at Khao Kheow Golf and Country Club
for the benefit of the Camillian kids living with HIV and other
disabilities.
Tewid now has an
ever-ready smile, recognizes care-givers and is able to sit up on his
own by using his arms.
The Jesters Care for Kids Charity Drive’s involvement
with the Camillian Social Center strengthened 4 years ago when we joined
forces with the organizers of the Canadian Jackalope Open. Their
stipulation was that all funds raised from their annual charity golf
tournament would go to the kids at the Camillian’s Child Care Center in
Rayong.
The strategy behind this arrangement was that working
together, we would have a bigger impact on helping the kids there. And
over the last 3 years, we have collectively provided 2,169,052 baht to
the Camillians.
In 2008, when we asked Father Giovanni where our
donation would be best utilized, he suggested we cover the 24/7
care-giving, medicine (ARV’s) and food for two children living with HIV
and disabilities.
The two children in focus were a girl, Fey, and a
boy, Tewid, and the following are their respective stories.
Fey was 4 years old when she came to the Center. She
was born HIV-positive and abandoned by her parents after birth in a Nong
Khai hospital. She is blind and mentally impaired, most likely from the
HIV infection.
When she first came to the Center, she could not
stand or crawl and would get upset frequently, slapping herself in the
head. With the continued administration of ARV’s, physical therapy and
loving care, her tantrums subsided, and she was able to stand and walk
with assistance. By the time we saw her she was 5 years old and her life
and demeanor had improved substantially.
Wayne Ogonoski (center,
right) from the Jackalope Open, along with members of the Jesters Care
for Kids charity visit the children and care givers at the Lat Krabang
facility.
Today, she is 8 years old, and able to walk on her
own. After a bout with chronic tonsillitis last month, she has responded
well to a drug treatment and is doing much better today.
Tewid, who is 15 years old, was also born
HIV-positive and due to late administration of ARV’s had become
partially paralyzed, almost comatose, from the infection. He was thought
to be autistic too.
Tewid enjoys listening to music, watching TV and
spending time with other resident children. His mother, who is deaf from
her own HIV infection, also comes to visit and care for him regularly at
the Center.
These days Tewid’s demeanor has improved
tremendously. He now has an ever-ready smile, recognizes care-givers and
is able to sit up on his own by using his arms.
In late 2008, both of these children were transferred
to the Camillian Home in Lat Krabang just before Suvarnabhumi Airport,
which is where disabled children who have their HIV status stabilized
take up residence. Here there are professionally trained specialists who
better help the kids learn to live with their disabilities.
Faisal Malik is coordinator on site and is assisted
by Kannika Tumma, who is in charge of PR and their outreach program. The
latter entails home visits to the disabled in the community.
Presently there are 19 resident children, 14 of those
are orphaned and 12 are HIV positive. There are also 20 regular day
visitors, who come for basic education and physical therapy. Most of the
kids in question are affected by physical disabilities, cerebral palsy,
blindness, and/or afflicted by learning impairment, autism or Down
syndrome.
There are 34 dedicated staff members at the center,
who together work 8-hour shifts around the clock, every day of the year.
If you would like to learn more about these kids,
please visit their website at www.camillianhomelatkrabang.org. If you
would like to help kids like Fey and Tewid, you can also visit our
website at www.care4kids.info and on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/care4kids.
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6 blind Pattaya students attend Sweden scouting convention
Students from Pattaya’s
Redemptorist School for the Blind pose with Senator Sutham Phanthusak,
Udom Wiwatsripaibun and Suchai Rujivanitkul at Suvarnabhumi airport.
Manoon Makpol
Six students from Pattaya’s Redemptorist School for
the Blind were among 164 Thai boy and girl scouts who traveled to Sweden
to participate in the 22nd World Scout Jamboree.
They joined 39,000 Scouts from all over the world who
gathered at the 22nd World Scout Jamboree being held at Rinkaby near
Kristianstad, in southern Sweden.
The blind scouts prepare
to check their luggage at the airport check-in counters.
Primary school students Banchai Chamroensuk, Adisak
Kamwhan, Chakrapan Kradut-ngeon, Somporn Somwang, Nitithor Kamsri and
secondary student Kittithat Jimonwan left Bangkok for Sweden July 26.
They were joined by four teachers, as well as Senate Scouting
Subcommittee Chairman Sutham Phanthusak, former Banglamung schools
director Udom Wiwatsripaibun and Redemptorist School Committee member
Suchai Rujivanitkul.
The trip was funded entirely by the King of Sweden,
the honorary head of the international scouting organization. The
convention at Ringabi Scout Camp in Christian State ends Aug. 7.
While Thailand sent a total of 365 people to the
conference, it was the first time abroad for the blind scouts. They said
they were honored to have such an opportunity to increase their skills,
experience and international scout ideology.
Six students from
Pattaya’s Redemptorist School for the Blind are joining 39,000 Scouts
from all over the world at the 22nd World Scout Jamboree in Rinkaby near
Kristianstad, southern Sweden.
They planned to perform traditional Thai music as
well as Thai songs translated into English, such as the Loy Krathong
song, traditional merit making songs, and Thai folk numbers.
Adisak said the trip would be a great opportunity to
exchange knowledge and culture through music.
Sutham noted the trip was made possible by Sweden’s
King, who became aware of the Redemptorist schools during visits to the
Kingdom and personally invited blind scouts to attend this year.
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