It?s Thursday afternoon and the atmosphere in the courtroom is tense as prosecutors and defence lawyers prepare for a stealing trial with Judge Lavonte Lightbourne presiding his gavel in hand ready to combat any disturbances.

The witnesses are ready to give their testimony and the court reporter is feeling a little uneasy about having to write down all the notes for the case involving a young man who has been caught taking paper clips, chalk and chocolate from his teacher and fellow students.

This isn?t your normal plea court and on Thursday afternoon we?ve just stumbled into ?Wonderland? at Purvis Primary School where real-life situations unfold into a MicroSociety where the children apply all that they?ve learned to real world experiences.

The MicroSociety called ?Wonderland? is the first of its kind on the Island where every Thursday afternoon students involve themselves in careers such as being a judge at real trials, being a travel agent and planning a school trip, or a reporter writing for the newspaper.

The Wee Wonda Gazette newsroom is humming as the staff prepares the latest edition of the newspaper. Reporter Shakira Amory, who loves writing stories and poetry, is finishing her article on gingerbread cookies while other pages are being designed and completed by editors before the latest news hits the playground.

?My article is about gingerbread cookies and how to make them,? said Wee Wonda Gazette reporter Shakira.

It all may sound like after-school activities, but the Purvis Primary Wonderland is a profit-driven society where students exchange Micro money or ?Wondabucks? on market days and are paid with cheques for the services they provide while also learning how to properly write cheques.

?Having a MicroSociety gets across the idea of work and the dignity of labour and making something successful,? said Purvis Primary principal Roseclaire Bulgin. There is even a Wonderland city council and Mayor Cleveland Wade and Deputy Mayor Kahnae Bean busy themselves with counting the money for the Wonderland Bank and keeping a close eye on the citizens.

In the halls of the school, poster boards are decorated with an assortment of careers. One board is covered with pictures of far-away countries and the students at the travel agency are working hard to finish decorating the board and becoming familiar with the different airlines.

Students rotate during the three, eight-week sessions during the year and over the six years at the school they will have experienced a different venture or agency where the curriculum is integrated so the children are still learning math and reading skills but also real life situations.

While integrating and mastering skills such as math, reading and writing they are also learning social skills and community service while working in real ventures, Mrs. Bulgin said. Soon, the students will be getting dirty while keeping a thriving vegetable garden at the Old MacPurvis Farm that is currently under construction. ?Everyone really loves working and they are really enjoying it,? Mrs. Bulgin added.

?They really do care about what punishment should be carried out and they ask the student why they did it and how they would feel if it was done to them,? Mrs. Bulgin said.