Sidney de Weever giving an explanation to students
INDIGO BAY--Ocean View Academy students gained practical insight into science and technology during a recent educational visit to the Bureau of Telecommunications and Post (BTP) in Philipsburg as part of Science Week 2026.
Grade 9 and 10 students were welcomed by Judianne Hoeve-Labega and members of the BTP team, who hosted the group for a rooftop lunch where students had the opportunity to speak informally with staff about their work in telecommunications and technology.
Sidney de Weever giving an engaging look at how maths and science connect directly to real telecommunications systems
Sidney de Weever with OVA students during a hands-on activity using a portable monitoring device to detect radio frequencies and determine the direction of nearby transmission towers
Sidney de Weever, head of the technical department, later delivered a presentation explaining how the mathematics and science students learn in school are applied in real telecommunications systems, particularly in the monitoring and regulation of radio frequencies across the island.
Students were also given a tour of BTP’s monitoring centre, where they observed the specialised equipment used to track communication signals.
The visit concluded with a hands-on activity in which students used a portable monitoring device to detect radio frequencies and determine the direction of nearby transmission towers.
Special thanks were extended to Ryan Wijngaarde for assisting with the coordination of the visit and to Agnes Kapoor of the St Maarten Science Fair Foundation for participating in the activity.
School officials said experiences such as these help students understand how classroom learning can translate into careers in science and technology.
