Consider the importance of STEM in schools from a high school senior perspective.
Raven Cooper
Hello, my name is Raven Cooper, and I am a senior at Lakeland High School. I have known, just about my whole life, that I wanted to be a veterinarian and pursue a degree in biology. Being able to take both AP Biology and AP Chemistry has really helped me both get into the universities and majors that I want and also to get a glimpse into what college courses I like and ones I do not. I have learned that I enjoy biology, and taking AP Biology with Mrs. McGee was the class that solidified my decision to pursue a degree in biology. On top of being a wonderful teacher, she had lots of great tips and advice for me that helped me to make the decision to pursue biology this fall.
Adding Science-Focused Classes
I have also learned this year that I don’t like chemistry as much as I like biology. My teacher, Ms. Jacobs is fantastic, but I just don’t like the material. However, I am so grateful that I am taking this class because it is going to give me a huge head start when I do go to college and have to take chemistry. Knowing that SPS offers AP classes that give you a glimpse into the college world helps you narrow down what you like and don’t. It also really prepares you for the difficulty and intensity of certain college classes.
I think adding more animal science-focused classes would be super beneficial and exciting for a lot of the students. Animal science is an ever-growing field, and only having the vet-tech program at The College and Career Academy at Pruden (CCAP) isn’t enough. Not everyone is able to go to CCAP and I believe that if there were more animal science classes, it could really benefit some of the people who are looking to become a veterinarian and/or work in the animal science field.
Adding Specialty STEM Classes
Along with SPS not having many animal science classes, I believe that adding some other specialty classes such as botany, astrology, or forensics could be really fun. I know that it can be hard to believe that someone would want to take those types of classes, but having them as options could really help spark someone’s interest and help them find their career.
The Importance of STEM Internships
Another thing that could really help enhance the SPS STEM program would be the incorporation of internships. Internships look absolutely amazing on college and scholarship applications when it comes time for that. I think making it a program where you don’t have to be in the Biomed program in order to qualify would be amazing. I believe that the internships would be best if done in the summer since it would be hard to have internships during the academic year. However, allowing the students to have this opportunity to be interns would really help them to see if pursuing a certain career is what they want. It is one thing to think you want to pursue something, but it is a whole different ball game when you actually get experience in that certain field.
I always thought that I wanted to work with small, domestic animals when I was younger. However, as I grew up, I got to visit and talk to small animal veterinarians, and I realized that it was something that I really didn’t want to do. Working at a horse ranch and being able to be so hands-on with such large animals really helped me to make the decision that I want to be a large animal veterinarian. Having that hands-on experience is something that I really think would make SPS stand out among the other school districts in Virginia. Having internships at hospitals, animal clinics, animal shelters, nursing homes, engineering jobs, etc, are just some general ideas that could benefit future school years.
The Problem with AP Science
To me, SPS has done a great job in making sure the AP science teachers that we have are all amazing and really do want the best for their students. I also like how they have made it so that those two AP science classes are double-blocked so the students really do have as much time as possible to learn the material and apply it in the best way possible. One problem that I do see is that since these AP science teachers also have to worry about general ed science classes, they can be overworked and tired by the time the AP class rolls around.
Although I do love and enjoy the double-blocked class, if the double block was in the middle of the day instead of the end, I think it would benefit both the students and the teachers. Having to do your hardest class at the end of the day after you have already had a full day of challenging classes can be very difficult and often, you aren’t able to take in the information as well as you need to. I believe that allowing those double blocks to be in the middle of the day could help make those AP science classes more appealing to students and easier for the teachers as well.
I am honored to be able to call myself a Lakeland Cavalier, and I am very grateful for all of the opportunities that I have been offered while at this school. It is my hope that even when I am off and graduated, the STEM program will continue to grow and improve for many generations to come.
GO, CAVALIERS!
Alexis Perkins
Life as a biomedical science student is not always easy. However, my love for science has always been there. When I was in the sixth grade, I had already developed the mindset that I wanted to go into the medical field. With that mindset, I flourished in all of my science classes. When I was in the seventh grade, I was also put into the advanced science group so, I was ahead by a year. Being put into that advanced science group had its ups and downs, but overall it was an amazing experience for me and it was a great idea to even have offered that to me. However, this was only the beginning.
Biomedical Sciences
Moving on into my eighth-grade year, I learned about the Biomedical Sciences program offered at Lakeland High School. As soon as I heard about it, I immediately made it my mission to try and get into the program. I worked extremely hard to keep my grades up, and I even still remember how excited I was that a program like that was even available to me in the first place. Obviously, I decided to apply and later found out that I had been accepted into the program. Once accepted, my journey of furthering my education in science began.
My First Year
My freshman year was kind of rough. It was my first year in high school, and trying to adapt to a new environment while trying to navigate through my first year in the program was challenging. However, my Biomed teacher is phenomenal, and she worked patiently with me the entire way. To this day my favorite moment from freshmen year was when we did our first lab and we extracted DNA from strawberries. From that moment on, I just knew that this program was the one for me. Unfortunately, halfway through my first year, COVID-19 had hit, and I didn’t get to finish. This was upsetting to me because I felt like there was so much more to learn that I, unfortunately, didn’t get to experience it.
My Second and Third Year
My second year of the program was all online, so I also missed out on a lot of the human body systems portion of this program. Even with having to miss a huge chunk of the program due to COVID-19, I still went into my third year, my junior year, with high hopes. I was eager and excited to get back into the lab and into the classroom to start learning again.
Going from being out of the classroom for almost two years to back in the classroom was definitely challenging, but junior year in the program was definitely my favorite. We did so many fun labs that not only taught me new science knowledge but also exposed me to lab techniques that will be very helpful to me when I get into college. One of my favorite labs from this year was the antibiotic lab. In this lab, we tested the resistance of e.coli against different types of antibiotics. I felt like it was a really cool experience, and I learned so much from the lab.
Senior Year
Finally, I entered my senior year. All three years leading up to my senior year were what prepared me for just how rigorous the fourth year is. The major part of senior year is completing a capstone project. It is very time-consuming and requires a lot of work and research. I feel like this capstone project is almost preparing me for college because I have to think more in-depth about stuff, and I’m having to put in twice the normal amount of work. That’s one thing I really enjoy about this program. It’s not just an easy course; instead, it challenges me, and I feel like once I get into college, I’m going to be prepared.
Overall, the Biomedical Sciences program is truly amazing. The teacher, Sarah McDonald, has helped guide me in ways I didn’t even think were possible. Without her, I feel like I wouldn’t have had the experience I had. So I truly appreciate her and everything she has done for me. My love for science continued to grow throughout the entirety of the program, and it has helped shape me into the person I am today.
More STEM-Related Programs
I definitely feel like SPS should offer more STEM-related programs if at all possible because I feel like they can be very beneficial to those who plan on going into careers related to STEM. However, I am continuously thankful for even having the opportunity to experience all the technology and knowledge that comes with being in this program. I never imagined myself being where I am today and having this strong of a love for science, but this program really helped me find myself.
At the end of the day, the Biomedical Sciences program will always have a special place in my heart, and it will continue to motivate me as I further my studies in the medical field and the science world.
About The Authors
RAVEN COOPER & ALEXIS PERKINS
Raven Cooper is a native of Suffolk, Virginia, and is a Senior at Lakeland High School in Suffolk, Virginia. She intends to study Biology – Pre-Med at Texas Tech University when she enters college in the fall of 2023.
Alexis Perkins is a native of Portsmouth, Virginia, and is a Senior at Lakeland High School in Suffolk, Virginia. She intends to study Pediatric Nursing at Radford University when she enters college in the fall of 2023.
