This year Saint Teresa’s Mercy School celebrated its eightieth birthday. They marked the occasion by organising a campaign to collect food for those in other Mercy ministries who are less well off and by preparing to participate in the International Science Expo in 2011.

Over five thousand tins of food were collected and distributed. Every child in the school was involved in the effort which ended on Friday 23rd July when all the tins were arranged on a sports field in the form of the number 80 — quite an achievement. At the end all joined hands, sang ‘Circle of Mercy’ and offered their prayers for all of us in Mercy ministry.

Ruth Stephenson with her project

The Science competition is a more serious exercise and demands a great deal of study, concentration and use of creative skills. The aim is to reach the finals and participate in the International Expo to be held in Australia in 2011. Every child in the school is involved in the initial phase where projects are judged at school level. These projects may be individual or group efforts and deal with subjects such as environmental research, model building, computer programming or any topic related to science.

Chandre Beyrooti and Kirsten Rowe – winners in their section

From school the best entries are chosen by external examiners to be presented at regional level: the best of these proceed to the national competition from where the choice is made for the International competition. Six projects involving nine girls from St. Teresa’s will be competing in the National Expo to be held in Pretoria in October. There are high hopes for a place in the International Expo next year in Australia. Clare Reid won this competition in 2005.

Immaculata Devine rsm
South African Province