Students take on real-world projects

This year the science department at Whitefish High School is offering something new: a chance for students to conduct their own scientific research.

Advanced Chemistry, under the direction of Todd Spangler, has been offered at the high school in the past, but remained unavailable in previous years due to too few students enrolling in the class.

This semester, however, it is up and running once again, focusing on a year-long assignment that has many students branching out into different areas of chemistry: a scientific research project.

Over the course of the year, Advanced Chemistry students select an area of scientific interest and formulate it into an in-depth project.

Students are able to choose from a wide array of ideas, ranging from human anatomy to water quality in Montana streams.

"Advanced Chemistry students complete background readings and research, contact professionals who work in this area, and perform their research," instructor Todd Spangler said. "In the spring they will prepare a presentation and write a technical paper. Some students may go on to compete in a science fair or other competitions."

This research project has the juniors and seniors of the class very excited.

"I decided to take Advanced Chemistry this year because of the research project," senior Anne Miller stated. "It's something different, and I thought it sounded really interesting."

Miller is in the process of researching the current USGS bear project in Glacier National Park.

"This past summer, my sister volunteered there and was assigned to work on the bear project," she said. "I was able to help her set up the rub trees, and since then I've been interested in how the whole study works. I'm excited about it."

Juniors Adam Negri and Adam Koziol have chosen lasers as their topic.

"Since most new technologies have incorporated some type of laser, from a Blu-Ray player to defending our nation's security, understanding how lasers work is important for functioning in our society," Negri commented.

Some students have chosen career-driven topics. Maxwell Schmidt, a senior, selected his topic based on his desire to be a pharmacist. Schmidt is researching "essential oils as insecticides and insect repellants on a commercial scale."

"I chose this topic because gardening interests me, and I have been doing indoor gardening for a while," Schmidt stated. "I wanted to find an alternative to harsh insecticides."

Schmidt is already quite far in his research. "I have pretty much outlined my experiment so far," he said.

While Schmidt is looking into agricultural aspects of science, Julia Sadino, also a senior, is diving into the physiological side of chemistry.

"I am researching the physiological effects of animal therapy, mainly with horses," Sadino asserted. "I have been into horses for a long time, and I recently started T-touch, a unique therapy that is used with horses."

According to Sadino, T-touch helps a body feel more centered, peaceful, and in control, all while working with horses.

"I wanted to find out what T-touch does to the human body when it affects you, and to understand how emotion affects your body," Sadino said. "I am very excited about it, especially because I want to go into a bio-medical career."

Other research subjects include air quality in national parks, fuel cells, electrolysis, and North Fork of the Flathead water quality in relation to Canadian mining.

"A few of the benefits of this project are that students work with specialists in a professional setting and get to explore areas that they may be interested in pursuing as a career," Todd Spangler stated. "Students are able to see that real world projects are not as linear as their high school classes. It's an excellent opportunity."