International Focus Magazine Vol. 3, #1 | Page 26

seen on the scene

Houston ’ s Booker T . Washington High School Welcomed Zimbabwe High School STEM Students written by By : Heidi Powell-Prera

On March 18 of this year Booker T . Washington High School welcomed 48 students and 3 teachers from Rydings College in Zimbabwe . Their special interests were in the areas of engineering , science , technology , and mathematics .
In his welcoming address , Mayor Turner said , “ This is a cultural learning opportunity of a lifetime .” Dr . Nghia Le from Rydings College and Dr . Phillips , Principal of Booker T . Washington High School and the High School of Engineering Professions were the directors for the week ’ s study program .
It was my distinct pleasure to meet , talk with , and video the students at the end of their week in Houston . What they had been able to accomplish in a week was amazing . They showed me the ultimate in recycling . Using things that we normally throw away , they had built prototypes of a Wind Turbine capable of generating 250 watts of power and a water filtration system to remove dangerous contaminants from water . A clean water supply is a major problem in most developing countries . Zimbabwe is no exception . These young people are ready to address the problems in their country and improve the quality of life there using what they find available .
26 iF Magazine | January 2018