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Summer 2005 in
Aruba (page 2)
Previous
page (Arrival in Aruba)
The teachers of a highschool I used to attend and the government of Aruba decided to dedicate a new and specially built classroom for the sciences to yours truly. This high school is where I started kindergarden at the age of 4, and is located no more than 300 feet from the house where I lived for my first 15 years. This house used to be a small store that Grandpa started called the "Fontein Rum Shop", and is now the location of the "Fontein Mini-Market".
The new building is just adjacent to the classroom I attended at the age of 4.
The official invitation to dignitaries and members of the press to the classroom opening. It reads:
"Invitation Card. You are hereby invited for the opening of the Science Classroom
at the Commandant Generaal Abraham de Veer School with the appropriate name of
Dr. Edward Cheung Research Center. Day: Friday, 19 August, 2005. Time: 10:00 am."
The day of the opening of the building. I was glad that two of Agnes' brothers could attend. Unfortunately, Mom was
on travel in Malaysia (she left before we found out about the opening), and Agnes' Mom had a dialysis session that day.
The Minister of Education Mr. Wilfrido Croes (seated behind me) and the Director of Education attended the opening.
Most of the images on this page were shot by Roland Kock, Agnes' brother.
Mr. Elgin Nicolaas (adjunct headmaster) was the emcee. He was a very close friend of Dad,
and played table tennis with him almost every week. Mr. Nicolaas held numerous championship
titles. He was instrumental in having the classroom named.
Next to speak was the headmaster of the school, Mr. Franklin Leslie, who gave a very eloquent speech on the purpose of this classroom.
It is clear that both he and Mr. Nicolaas have a passion for teaching and love their students.
Afterwards, the Minister of Education, Mr. Croes spoke about the recent restructuring of
the school system in Aruba, and the context of this classroom in the overall system. I appreciate
his attendance and the attendance of the Director of Education at the opening.
Mr. Leslie also introduced one of the teachers in the classroom, Mr. Richard Arends. I was very touched that
Mr. Leslie mentioned that Mr. Arends was inspired to study the sciences as a result of hearing about me. He
mentioned that the teacher embodies what the purpose of the classroom : stimulate the students' interest
in the sciences.
Here is a wide shot of the building during the dance performance of three students from the school. Although I do not have
a picture, Jessica Larmonie sang the Aruban national anthem. The dancers
were Aisheline, Zoya and Sabrina. Both performances were wonderful.
They surprised me with this banner that will hang inside the classroom. It is a tremendous honor to have the classroom carry the family name.
The top left shows the logo of the school, top right has the seal of the island of Aruba, the back ground is a shot of earth from space.
I am impressed that Aruba has the ability to print vinyl in such vibrant colors and high resolution.
I surprised them by making a gift of some returned space flight hardware that was used on an HST servicing mission.
This is the only location in Aruba with space flight hardware.
Inside the classroom.
The classroom is outfitted with many science kits. Christopher took to them immediately.
This station is to demonstrate objects of varying density.
Stephanie at one of the microscope stations looking at the layers of an onion. In the background
left, one can see the banner that we unveiled hanging on the wall of the classroom.
I would have been totally at home working with this hardware in my school going days.
Note in addition to the regular 110V outlet, there are also 220V outlets as many of the
science kits are from Holland.
The teachers of a highschool I used to attend and the government of Aruba decided to dedicate a new and specially built classroom for the sciences to yours truly. This high school is where I started kindergarden at the age of 4, and is located no more than 300 feet from the house where I lived for my first 15 years. This house used to be a small store that Grandpa started called the "Fontein Rum Shop", and is now the location of the "Fontein Mini-Market".
The new building is just adjacent to the classroom I attended at the age of 4.
The official invitation to dignitaries and members of the press to the classroom opening. It reads:
"Invitation Card. You are hereby invited for the opening of the Science Classroom
at the Commandant Generaal Abraham de Veer School with the appropriate name of
Dr. Edward Cheung Research Center. Day: Friday, 19 August, 2005. Time: 10:00 am."
The day of the opening of the building. I was glad that two of Agnes' brothers could attend. Unfortunately, Mom was
on travel in Malaysia (she left before we found out about the opening), and Agnes' Mom had a dialysis session that day.
The Minister of Education Mr. Wilfrido Croes (seated behind me) and the Director of Education attended the opening.
Most of the images on this page were shot by Roland Kock, Agnes' brother.
Mr. Elgin Nicolaas (adjunct headmaster) was the emcee. He was a very close friend of Dad,
and played table tennis with him almost every week. Mr. Nicolaas held numerous championship
titles. He was instrumental in having the classroom named.
Next to speak was the headmaster of the school, Mr. Franklin Leslie, who gave a very eloquent speech on the purpose of this classroom.
It is clear that both he and Mr. Nicolaas have a passion for teaching and love their students.
Afterwards, the Minister of Education, Mr. Croes spoke about the recent restructuring of
the school system in Aruba, and the context of this classroom in the overall system. I appreciate
his attendance and the attendance of the Director of Education at the opening.
Mr. Leslie also introduced one of the teachers in the classroom, Mr. Richard Arends. I was very touched that
Mr. Leslie mentioned that Mr. Arends was inspired to study the sciences as a result of hearing about me. He
mentioned that the teacher embodies what the purpose of the classroom : stimulate the students' interest
in the sciences.
Here is a wide shot of the building during the dance performance of three students from the school. Although I do not have
a picture, Jessica Larmonie sang the Aruban national anthem. The dancers
were Aisheline, Zoya and Sabrina. Both performances were wonderful.
They surprised me with this banner that will hang inside the classroom. It is a tremendous honor to have the classroom carry the family name.
The top left shows the logo of the school, top right has the seal of the island of Aruba, the back ground is a shot of earth from space.
I am impressed that Aruba has the ability to print vinyl in such vibrant colors and high resolution.
I surprised them by making a gift of some returned space flight hardware that was used on an HST servicing mission.
This is the only location in Aruba with space flight hardware.
Inside the classroom.
The classroom is outfitted with many science kits. Christopher took to them immediately.
This station is to demonstrate objects of varying density.
Stephanie at one of the microscope stations looking at the layers of an onion. In the background
left, one can see the banner that we unveiled hanging on the wall of the classroom.
I would have been totally at home working with this hardware in my school going days.
Note in addition to the regular 110V outlet, there are also 220V outlets as many of the
science kits are from Holland.
Article in the on-line
version of "Diario",
the paper with the largest local language circulation.
The printed version
dedicated two
pages to the opening.
|
ORANJESTAD (AAN): Un lokaal nobo, moderno, y bon equipa ta loke Abraham de Veerschool na San Nicolas a caba di inaugura den fin di siman. Pesey mes varios invitado y dignatario tabata presente pa ta testigo di e gran logro aki. Fuera di esey, e “Natuur & Techniek Lokaal” aki a haya un nomber apropia tambe, esta “Dr. Edward Cheung Research Center”. Esey ta bay pa e famoso cientifico Arubano kende ta trahando pa NASA na Merca. Dr. Cheung cu su famia a bin Aruba specialmente pa e ocasion aki, y tabata un momento emocional pa e cientifico mira su nomber aparece riba e lokaal aki, cu a worde construi menos di 8 meter leu for di e lokaal di e prome school cu el a haya les na dje na San Nicolas. Dr. Edward Cheung ta un persona original di San Nicolas, y pesey e school cu hopi orguyo a dedica e lokaal aki na dje. E pensamento ta cu e hobennan cu ta haya les den e lokaal aki, lo por ricibi e inspiracion necesario di e cientifico Arubano aki pa asina profundiza den e materia y ricibi extra esfuerzo pa por bay dilanti y desaroya den ciencia. Dilanti un grupo di invitado y e alumnonan yen interes, Sr. Elgin Nicolaas a haci e introduccion y a introduci despues, director Franklin Leslie kende a dirigi palabra y splica e.o. cu Dr. Edward Cheung tabata biba menos di 100 meter leu di e school, y a mustra con el a desaroya su mes. Ministro di Enseñanza tambe a ofrece un fabuloso discurso, mustrando cu esnan di Ciclo Basico lo bay haci bon uso di e N&T Lokaal aki. E sorpresa di e mainta, ta ora cu Dr. Edward Cheung a ofrece un regalo valioso pa worde poni den e lokaal, cu ta un pida hardware cu Astronautanan abordo di Space Shuttle a logra kita di Hubble Space Telescope y trece back for di espacio. Esaki a worde poni den un bunita cuadro, y awor tur alumno di Abraham de Veerschool por bisa cu nan tin pida material cu a zweef den espacio den nan Natuur en Techniek Lokaal. E lokaal mes ta uno amplio, cu varios stacion special di practica poni rond, cu acceso na awa y electricidad, pa asina haci test pa Natuurkunde, Scheikunde, y Biologia. E mainta tabata uno alegre, y DIARIO por menciona cu e himno di Aruba a worde canta pa Jessica Larmonie, y tambe tabatin baile di “The Young Girls”, consistiendo di Aisheline, Zoya, y Sabrina. DIARIO ta felicita tur docente y alumno di Abraham de Veerschool cu e joya di N&T Lokaal cu nan a haya, y cu oficialmente ta carga e nomber di “Dr. Edward Cheung Research Center”. |
The dedication of the classroom represents a tremendous personal honor.
I in turn dedicate the classroom to the persons who taught and raised me:
Mom and Dad. Their continual reminder over the years while
I was growing up was that "What you learn is yours forever".
I am very happy that the classroom carries their name as well.
Mom and Dad at Christopher's Christening party in Aruba in 1997.
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