The Braeburn School swimming team took part in their last gala of the term, the KAISSO Prep School Swimming Gala held at GEMS International School, on Wednesday 20th March.
The team recorded excellent results in the individual races. The students were highly motivated and every single one of them put in their best performances, with the majority of the swimmers setting new personal best times. They were all eager to be in the medal bracket.
There were 12 schools in total, and the Braeburn swimming team emerged victorious after edging out their closest rivals GEMS International School into 2nd position. We would like to congratulate our U13 relay team who won all their relays, and were also excellent role models to our upcoming junior teams of U11s and U9s. The swimmers worked well as a team and this contributed to their coming back home with the overall trophy. Currently the team is in high spirits and highly motivated to do better in future competitions and to train with renewed energy and focus.
Year 4 had a fantastic time in Sagana this week! We set off bright and early on the Bluebird buses with excitement in our bellies. Our first stop was at Braeburn Imani to have a break and a snack. We all enjoyed a nosey at another Braeburn School. We then hit the road again to make our final leg of the journey to Sagana. When we arrived at Rapids Camp, some of the classes had to raft across to get to camp and some of us had to cross a wooden bridge. We sat down to have lunch and the Infinity Outdoors staff introduced themselves and explained alot to us about what was going to happen within the fantastic 3 days!
Our 3 days consisted of lots of yummy meals, camping, hot chocolate, campfires and four different rotational activities. The activities were a huge success as everyone took part and some of us enjoyed stepping out of our comfort zones. One of the activities was team building; in this we had to work together as a team on numerous tasks and activities to build our bonds as a group, our leadership skills and our problem solving skills. Another activity we did was rafting in which we spent time on the rafts trying to run around the edge without falling in, trying to bounce each other out of the raft and building our confidence in water, we also went down a rapid and near the water fall using the new safety tips we had just learnt. Hill walking was another activity that we all engaged in. On the
walk we learnt about lots of different things such as sacred trees, sand mining, birds, plants and so much more. The final activity was the 'geckos', these are small individual boats, on these we played lots of games which developed our new skills of how to control the boats and use them efficiently; we also used them to go down some rapids and explore the currents of the river.
As part of our annual residential trip and outdoor education provision, all of us were able to learn about independence and responsibility, and having fun. It enhanced team building and leadership skills as well as the social aspect of promoting teamwork and forming new friendships. We were able to show appreciation of a different culture, upbringing and exposure to a local school and village life. We were able to learn so much outside the classroom, such a joy!
On Saturday, 16th March, our U11 and U13 girls played in the annual IAPS hockey tournament hosted wonderfully by Peponi.
Our U11s played excellent hockey receiving many compliments on their skill and teamwork from the coaches and parents of other schools. Unfortunately luck was not on our side and despite being a strong team and playing excellent hockey the girls were unable to score enough goals when it really counted and were sadly knocked out of the pool stages with 1 loss, two draws and 1 very impressive win to their name.
The Braeburn U13 girls, who were going in for a 3rd consecutive win at the tournament, were placed in what could only be referred to as the 'pool of death'.
Amongst the teams in their pool were Kenton College and The Banda, both of whom eventually made it to the 
final. Our girls gave a spirited fight in the group stages, drawing with The Banda (the eventual winners) and losing narrowly to Kenton (who consistently played the best hockey); drawing with Peponi B and beating Greensteds convincingly along the way.
What was evident, was the high standard of hockey that was displayed by the different schools that took part on the day. The atmosphere was amazing, and there was no telling which schools would qualify for the knock out stages. The individual skills that were displayed by the girls were outstanding. This was an important consideration in the selection process for the girls who were to represent the Nairobi and the Up Country schools in the match the following day. Congratulations to Marie-Ange and Mariasera for making the Nairobi Schools team.
Last Thursday the seismometers set up around Mount Longonot National Park would have certainly detected a rise in vibrations. Thankfully the source of these disturbances was not the re-awakening of the slumbering magma chamber and forthcoming pyroclastic flows – but they in fact came from 60 Year 7 students from Braeburn setting out to conduct their geographical fieldwork studies.
Mount Longonot, sitting at the heart of the Great Rift Valley presented a fantastic environment for our students to utilise the skills and knowledge have been building up over the course of the year in a dynamic, real-world setting. Work was focused around 3 key learning areas – What type of volcano is Mount Longonot?, how sustainable are National Parks in their current state? It also allowed the students to get practical experience using their mapping and orientation skills.
Annotated field sketches were delicately put together, samples of lava and ash for historic eruptions were taken, environmental quality surveys were conducted, and maps were drawn up of the National Park. All of the student’s efforts paid off, and a great array of primary data was collected so that a more thorough analysis can now be undertaken in the classroom.
Alongside all of this, the students must be commended for the endurance and determination they showed in reaching the towering summit of the volcano, especially considering the thin air found at altitude and the clouds of dust that seemed to enshroud them at every step. Many of them took home a great sense of pride in achieving this feat, and all certainly gained from the experience of looking at this wonderful, tectonically active environment in a new inquisitive, learned, and geographically aware way.
Finally, a huge thanks must go out to the teachers who gave up their time to accompany the students in their fieldwork study, and to the support from the Year 7 parents who made the trip possible.
Mr Zammit, Geography Teacher
Braeburn has always been involved in charitable activities and this term the student council decided to focus on children and literacy.
Throughout the second half of the term the student council body has been collecting books from several people for donation, by Thursday 7th of March we managed to collect 1000 books overall which was a success. The genres included fiction, non-fiction, educational, anthology, fantasy and action. The reason that we had this innovative idea is because Braeburn community is steadfast in eradicating illiteracy.
The student council accompanied by teachers and FAB members were able to visit Mogra children's centre and the students were able to partake in activities including reading to young children and arranging the donated books in the library.
Our guide Timothy graciously gave us a tour of the home including the sleeping area, study and the dining. This home was founded in 2003 to house homeless children and give them the basic right of education.
As the children sang a song to appreciate the donation they received it dawned on us to always appreciate the small things in life. I would like to appreciate Yanet and Shlock head of the student council body for proposing the book drive, Braeburn community for donating the books, FAB members for their support and Mr Keru for making it possible for us to visit the home.
“THE SMALLEST ACT OF KINDNESS IS WORTH MORE THAN THE GRANDEST INTENTION” Oscar Wilde.
By Sherryl Mbugua - Student Council representative
Braeburn School
