LAHS Gets New Science Lab Equipment
The Green Dragon Foundation is making great progress to ensure excellence in education for all children in the Lewisburg Area School District. In response to the current fiscal challenge for Pennsylvania, they have broadened their scope to ensure existing programs are not lost while continuing their efforts to expand educational opportunities.
To demonstrate their commitment to all students, in January 2011, more than $16,000 was given to LASD in support of the Lewisburg Area High School Advanced Scientific Laboratory Experiences Program. According to Ann Glock, Executive Director, “The Green Dragon Foundation received donations from parents, alumni and friends of the district. Additionally, a $2,000 grant was received from the Union County Community Foundation to support this program. We were so grateful for their support.”
In the spring of 2010, LASD administrators identified equipping the high school science labs as a high priority. In years past, the district was able to take advantage of the Science in Motion program that was funded through the state. In recent years, the program was cut, and then added back in. According to LAHS Principal, David Himes, “It is difficult to plan the curriculum around whether the equipment will be there or not. Our students could not depend on having this valuable experience, so we asked the Green Dragon Foundation to help us.”
Because of Foundation funding, new scientific lab equipment was ordered and started to come in this spring. In May, Green Dragon Foundation staff visited the high school and saw how this advanced equipment was enhancing and enriching students’ science experiences.
Himes states, “Our faculty of five instructors has been diligent in revising curriculum so all students can successfully meet state standards and in the past two years, Lewisburg Area High School students’ scores have been among the top ten in Pennsylvania. Lessons within the courses are inquiry and laboratory based that require students to think analytically to solve realistic problems while learning how to correctly collect and analyze data.” He added, “Teachers within the Science Department created and designed learning experiences using the new equipment.”
A Visit to a 9th Grade Earth and Environmental Science classroom
Mr. Van Wagner demonstrates how to use the new infrared camera to his 9th grade students.
In Van Wagner’s science class, the students were very interested to learn about their new infrared camera. According to Wagner, “It was the highest priority item on my ‘wish list’ and I am super excited about receiving it!” He explains to the class that the camera turns invisible light into visible for humans. He adds “Different occupations use this technology; such as firefighters and scientists. Firefighters use them before entering a house to see where the hot spots are. Others use cameras to perform energy audits.”
Wagner continues “I don’t know of any other high school in our area that has this technology. For that matter, not many colleges would have it.” The Foundation also purchased 6 infrared thermometers that take the temperature of surfaces. “It can be for any field lab that you can imagine where temperature is involved. We use the thermometers to take the temperature of various surfaces in Lewisburg, like macadam, bricks, shaded areas, water in the streams, and even clouds.” “It is one thing to teach out of the textbook but now we can put the learning into their hands and into their discovery.” He continues, “There have been changes to the environment in Lewisburg, we now study the changes via the hands of our students thanks to these pieces of technology.” Wagner concludes, “It is one thing to lecture to students, now they draw their own conclusions based upon data in their own hands.”
A Visit to a Chemistry Classroom and Lab
Chemistry students, Alex Shaunessy and Sarah Boehnlein, massing a compound on the "analytical balance".
In May, Juniors and Seniors were massing a compound on their new “analytical balance”. In Angela Gockley’s Chemistry class, the students were learning how to weigh their compounds. According to Gockley, “the analytical balance masses compounds on materials to four decimal places. This is really important for microchemistry applications and for AP Chemistry.”
Across the room, students were working on their new centrifuge machines. Gockley states, “The new centrifuge machines give her students the ability to separate components of solutions. We didn’t have anything like this before the Green Dragon Foundation purchased them. The new laboratory equipment means that we are now able to complete a greater range of lab experiments. They help to provide qualitative analysis of anions lab investigations.” She continues, “The students achieve a deeper learning of the material and they are able to immediately view precipitates that are formed in very small amounts.”
A Visit to a Physics Classroom
High School teacher, Wayne Latchford, was demonstrating the new Van de Graaff generator in his physics class when the Green Dragon Foundation stopped by for a visit. He explained that they could do 4 or 5 different labs with this new item. He further explained, “The Van de Graaff generator was named after the scientist who created it. The equipment creates an electrical field and then you get an electrical discharge like a small lightning bolt.” Latchford stated that he uses the new laboratory equipment to create extensive lab experiences. “We do experiments to find the electrical field force and also to show how the phenomena of how electricity and electric fields in thunderstorms actually work.”
“In my regular physics class we use the new laboratory equipment for demonstration purposes but in AP Physics we conduct extensive labs.” Latchford concludes, “We have all of these new materials because of the Green Dragon Foundation. We didn’t have any of this before.”
According to Glock, the Foundation needs to raise an additional $18,000 to fully fund the high school Advanced Scientific Laboratory Experiences Program. The organization continues its fundraising efforts to raise the needed amount. “In the coming weeks and months, we will be sending requests to LASD parents, alumni and friends asking for their support of this important initiative.”
The Green Dragon Foundation is seeking additional support to continue funding critical programs such as this. Individuals or businesses wishing to volunteer or donate can do so by making online donation or an inquiry on this site or call the Foundation’s office at (570) 522-8433.