Delta students spend day with scientists

RICHLAND -- Delta High School students sampled science that's high tech and saw it illustrated with low tech Friday.

It was all part of a day of activities during which they saw an aerosol mass spectro-meter analyze air, explored how to track wildlife and tried their hands at separating mixtures.

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory scientists demonstrated their work as part of the school's first Options Day.

Sophomore Cecily Bader described the day as a chance to pretend to be a scientist.

She and fellow sophomores Bailey Pipes and Mikayla Martin were using cups with holes in the bottom to separate different sizes of candy.

Martin said the experiment illustrated how scientists separate a cell into different proteins.

What the students were learning about has a fancy name in science -- chromato-graphy use gel electrophoresis -- which scientist Heather Brewer said basically means sorting cells into their different proteins using physical, chemical or electrical means.

That helps scientists discover what makes up something and how it works, she said. It could be used to help find out how to cure a disease, such as cancer.

Delta High School -- the first of its kind in the state -- opened last year in Richland with 100 freshmen and started this year with about 200 freshman and sophomores as it builds toward becoming a four-year high school.

The school's organization, framework and curriculum are unique in the Tri-Cities and beyond. It was started by the Richland, Pasco and Kennewick school districts, Battelle, Washington State University Tri-Cities and Columbia Basin College. The Washington State STEM Education Foundation also is involved.

Students meet the same state standards as their counterparts in traditional schools, but they do so through an integrated curriculum that blends science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM, lessons into all subjects, even English and history.

Principal Deidre Holmberg said the expansion to both freshman and sophomore classes has gone well.

"The sophomores are great role models," Holmberg said.

They jumped into learning on day one, and students are already working on their first integrated projects, she said. Students do an integrated project each trimester, in which they use science, engineering, math, technology, language arts and social studies.

Five teachers joined the staff this year, bringing the school up to 10 teachers. And 51/2 classrooms were remodeled over the summer to accommodate the new students.

The school also has added about 50 new student laptops and a computer lab, she said.

Options Day is just one way in which the community is brought into the classroom. Holmberg said mentors come in weekly and guest speakers also are frequent.

Holmberg hopes to have Options Day several times during the year to give students the chance to interact with community scientists during a full day of sessions.

About 21 scientists and technical writers from PNNL participated Friday, said Ann Wright-Mockler, PNNL science education specialist.

The scientists showed students some of the things they do at the lab, Holmberg said.

In one classroom, sophomore Miranda Smith and other students watched scientists Lizabeth Alexander and Matt Newburn demonstrate the aerosol mass spectrometer.

Smith said she would like to find out what else a mass spectrometer can do. The scientists explained that it could be used to catch and analyze particles from car exhaust or from the air.

Smith said she wonders if the instrument could be applied to look for ways to clean up radiation.

Smith, who spent her freshman year at Hanford High School, said she wanted to come to Delta High School to get more help from teachers and to get a chance to do integrated work.

She said she likes knowing how to apply what she is learning.

Bader, Pipes and Martin all returned to Delta High School after a year there as freshmen.

Bader said the classes are hands-on, and instead of being told how to do something, students do it. One of their projects as freshmen was to build robots.

And because of the school's small size, Pipes said they end up knowing everyone.

Holmberg said one of her goals for the year is to start to develop internships for students during their junior and senior years.

Events like Options Day help the students network, which could lead to internships or jobs, she said.

The school still has room for interested freshmen and sophomores from the Kennewick School District. Those interested should call the school at 544-8355.

-- Kristi Pihl: 582-1512; kpihl@tricityherald.com

This story was originally published September 11, 2010 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Delta students spend day with scientists ."