Sur Baher School Holds Year-End Science Fair
May 2015
On Sunday May 31, 2015, Zoubaida Salman, Science teacher at the Sur Baher School for Girls and Project Educator for WRAP’s rainwater harvesting project within the school, hosted a science fair featuring the science projects and experiments of over 50 students.
The theme of the fair was “Your Health From Your Lifestyle” and the projects represented the culmination of many efforts by Zoubaida to enhance the science and environmental education within her school over the past year. In a letter recapping the Science Fair, Zoubaida reflected on the year’s projects, writing:
“This year our school ran several unique science programs. We further developed the herb and water garden, and began producing our own essential oils. We also continued the after school science program, where we provided additional science classes for interested students. We produced our own homemade natural products, including soaps, perfumes, and cosmetics. Our rain harvesting system provided water for toilet flushing, as well as a platform for research. Twenty of our advanced 7th grade science students attended an after school program at the Jerusalem Science Museum. All these programs are laying the foundation for a better future for these young women.”
The science and environmental education curriculum has been enhanced by the rainwater harvesting system and WRAP’s continued involvement within the school, made possible by WRAP’s donors and volunteers. Contributions to help continue and further expand these educational programs within Sur Baher and across WRAP’s network of schools are appreciated by WRAP, the school children, and devoted educators like Zoubaida. Zoubaida’s letter reiterates her thanks to all donors and concludes, “With your help, inshallah, our students will become future scientists, health professionals, and most importantly confident and educated members of society.”
WRAP is working to meet additional resource needs for science experiments related to water quality. In collaboration with the Albuquerque Academy Desert Oasis Teaching Garden, WRAP is connecting students at Sur Baher with students in the U.S. through shared rainwater harvesting and environmental education projects. Sur Baher is also working with WRAP to share its environmental education stories through the “For My Earth” Environmental E-Book, a program at University of New Mexico that seeks to publish e-books featuring stories about students involved in environmental projects.
To learn more and to support the continuation and growth of the environmental education programs at Sur Baher, please contact ccourtin@wrapdc.org.
