BY RENAE DIXON

Observer staff reporter

dixonr@jamaicaobserver.com

IT was the students’ initiative and they did not disappoint resulting in the inaugural staging of Moneague College’s technology exposition being hailed a success.

The expo, held at the institution in St Ann under the theme, ‘Innovation, Sustainability and Self-reliance through Technology’, was the initiative of the Managing System and Electronic Computing (MSEC) Technology Club at the college.

“This expo is the work of primarily the technology club of the Moneague College,” Howard Isaacs, principal of the institution, said as he welcomed patrons to the expo, which saw approximately 15 companies showcasing technological developments at the booths lining the Gloria Johnson Multi-purpose Building.

Isaacs boasted that the institution has been doing well with technology and noted that this is evidenced by the school’s success in winning the inaugural community colleges software development competition held last year.

Minister of Technology, Science, Energy and Mining Phillip Paulwell, who was guest speaker at the expo, also congratulated the students for hosting a successful event.

“You have embarked on a most laudable project,” he said, as he also congratulated the institution for the obvious team effort which allowed the students ideas to be executed.

The president and vice-president of the MSEC Technology Club were very ecstatic when they spoke to the Jamaica Observer North East and were clearly overjoyed that their hard work had paid off with the successful staging of the expo.

President of MSEC Technology Leon Lewin said he always heard of the Jamaica Public Service science and technology expo and decided Moneague should host a technology expo. Being president of the technology club at the institution, he led a team which worked tirelessly to host the first such event at the institution.

“It was challenging, a lot of challenges but we managed to get through,” he said.

Lewin said although he will be leaving the college this year, he is expecting that the expo, which is slated to be an annual event, will be even bigger in the future.

His Vice-President Tyrone Burris was also elated that the event planned by the club was successful.

“I want to thank the minister personally for coming… to address us on the updates to the different types of technology and what the Government plans to do with technology as it relates to education,” he said, adding that the students of Moneague College are anticipating becoming a part of the tablet in schools programme.

“It will expose the students to the different type of technology that each company uses,” Burris said.

Although this is their last year, the leaders said they know the president and vice- president elect will do will; however both said they will be willing to come in and ensure that the next staging is a success.

The expo saw students from The Queen’s School in St Andrew journeying to the garden parish to share in the event.

Excited students from various departments of the college toured the booths to learn about the different technological development. Some stopped by the Jamaica Public Service booth, where they learned of technological development and how to conserve on their electricity while others got a first-hand view of the technology used by the Jamaica Fire Department, the Meteorological Service and the Spectrum Management Authority. The Scientific Research Council and Stars Cable also grabbed the attention of many in attendance. Persons also got the opportunity to taste cheese made from goat milk, which was among the items on display.

Thursday’s expo was sponsored by Best TV, Hometime Cable and West Indies Aluminum Company in association with the MoneagueCollege.