End of term

Another term is done. For some of us, this meant a goodbye. For others, a needed break to rest and refresh for the coming term. For all, a time of meaning.
During the final week of the term, we enjoyed a number of significant events: there were
One event that will be a fitting one to highlight for you all, in that it was an appropriate finale of sorts to the term, was the Music Recital. This event was also held on April 1st [ once again, we are not kidding!] and it brought together the musical talents of a great number of our gifted students--and staff! Thanks go, as they have so often lately, to our dedicated Parent Teacher Organization members, who coordinated this event and provided a lavish reception afterwards.
During the recital, we enjoyed the MC'ing talents of our Form 6 class: David, Patience, and Dennis provided well-rounded and humorous introductions and transitions. The recital itself showcased a broad range of performances, illustrating how varied our students are in their talents:
Grades 1-3, for instance, sang and danced their way into the audience hearts with their rendition of "Sunshine in my heart." Grades 4-7 followed with "From Heaven you came Helpless Babe," complete with a harmonic descant. Individuals sang fine solos and duets, such as Samuel's "You are my Strength when I am weak" and Womba's "Great is the Lord." Others provided instrumental pieces, with Eunice, Kathleen, Arushi, and Thoko demonstrating skill on the recorder, while Mwansa and Illunga treated us to an African drumming duet. And how could we neglect the delight of the Boatman family with their accordion ensemble?
Yes, it was a fine performance by all--and one that we hope to continue as a bit of an Amano tradition!

Metal work on a grand scale!

On April 1st [no fooling!] our grade 10, 11, and 12 students had the privilege of spending the morning at Chambishi Metals. I was pleased to see how well-prepared they were for the outing, coming with lists of questions they intended to ask if they were not addressed. But there needn't have been a fear: the metallurgists who guided us along the way truly provided a wealth of information, reinforcing and adding to all the chemistry, geography, and other subject lessons they've been involved in. From outlining the process, step by step, from raw material to refined copper and cobalt, to guiding us through the maze of factory equipment and pools of the metals in various stages of their refining, we truly got a full, and fascinating, picture of it all! Judging from the attentive reaction our Amano attendees displayed, we wouldn't be surprised in the slightest if some of these smart students carried on to become metallurgists themselves!