Students of Papine High School in St Andrew who have created skin and hair products from cucumber are now seeking the Scientific Research Council’s seal of approval so they can go to market soon.

The cosmetic products, along with jams, pickles, and agricultural produce, were part of the school’s exhibit at the Forum for Innovations in Teaching held January 25-27, 2024 at National Arena in St Andrew.

Theirs was among the 92 exhibits set up by schools, private sector companies, agencies, and partners in the education sector.

The shampoo and lotion project is a collaboration among students Akiem Thompson, Migu Spencer and Alex Ricketts, and chemistry teacher Keniesha Warren-Sterling from the school’s Agriculture and Science Department. Students were able to make the products from an excess supply of cucumber grown on the school’s farm, which normally supplies the canteen with produce.

Papine High students (from left) Akiem Thompson, Migu Spencer, and Alix Ricketts are members of the team which made the products with the assistance of their chemistry teacher Keniesha Warren Sterling.

The team stopped just short of producing a fuller cosmetic line since their lip balm idea was shelved due to the unavailability of additional resources.

Head of the Department of Agriculture and Science Denise Moore-Scott said that, having decided on the products to be made, the team carefully selected the best quality cucumbers.

That is followed by an intricate process of heating and mixing for emulsification to create the lotion, and a single-phase cold process in the case of the shampoo. Students learnt about optimum temperatures and mixing methods in relation to ingredients used, which was mostly done outside of class time late into the evenings.

“We have always tried to be creative with the products that we produce on the school farm, trying to show students another aspect of agriculture than just producing, selling and consuming the product; but that these products can be used to make value-added items,” she explained.

The idea came from a brainstorming session among students and teachers during which it was decided that the best way to make use of what they had was to develop a formula around the cucumber to highlight its health properties for the skin.

The students are now looking forward to taking the innovation to the next level.

“We still need to carry out our testing so we’re looking to make contact with the Scientific Research Council to see how they can assist in terms of that, along with any other issues or procedures we need to follow in order to make it market-ready,” Moore-Scott said.

The school plans to take the products to the 4-H Achievement Seminar later this year.

Papine High School has long been recognised for achievements in technical and vocational subjects. However, it is also making noted achievements in traditional academic subjects.

“We have seen, for example, over the years, students’ CSEC [Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate] performance has steadily increased. Similarly, an increase in the number of students doing the subjects,” Moore-Scott said, adding that this was due, in part, to the use of more relatable application of the curriculum.

The third staging of the Forum for Innovation in Teaching, dubbed FIT3, held under the theme ‘Celebrating Achievements and Reimagining Education for the 21st Century’, was coordinated by the Jamaica Teaching Council (JTC), an agency of the Ministry of Education and Youth. FIT3, which is held every four years, also facilitated discussions about the role and use of artificial intelligence (AI) in modern living, as well as the implications of new careers in the emerging blue, orange, gray, and green economies.

Students were able to ask questions about their interests and gain insight from Jamaican professionals who are themselves witnessing paradigm shifts in their respective fields.

Dr Winsome Gordon, JTC executive director, noted the increased participation of exhibitors and heightened quality of scientific knowledge on display.

“There were 116 booths this year, as opposed to about 98 at the last staging. So we are pleased with the participation and the level of ingenuity that was on display. This year there weren’t as many schools in attendance as last time, but the quality of the displays has certainly improved since the last showing,” she said.

Dr Gordon stressed that the point of the forum was to share experiences, information and practices.

“We hoped that the teachers were able to bring out the best in their students and they meet at FIT3 to demonstrate what they have learned,” she said.

Moore-Scott agreed. “The need to empower our students to develop an entrepreneurial spirit, make use of available resources to create value-added products and appreciate the real-world application of the subjects taught is foremost in how we operate as an institution and were the driving force behind the creation of these products.”

Her sentiments echoed remarks made by Minister of Education and Youth Fayval Williams at the recent TREND school pop-up event in Anchovy, St James.

“The Ministry of Education and Youth is aspiring to change the perception of skills training as a lower-rung career path in comparison to traditional careers. In fact, the Ministry of Education is pursuing a greater balance of the two within schools,” she said.

To that end, lab facilities, curriculum and infrastructural resources of several secondary schools have been boosted to support the varied learning pathways of students today to meet a target of preparing future-ready students for the world today.

Windsor School of Special Education from Duncan’s Pen, Spanish Town, had items on display made by their cosmetology, art and soft furnishing, home life, and mathematics departments; while Guy’s Hill High School made a special tonic drink with health-boosting properties.

— Sonya Lemord is research and information officer in the Communications and Division at the Ministry of Education and Youth