Page 4 Portland Observer, August 11, 1982
METROPOLITAN
Enrollment explodes
in Jeff's science class
T here’ s been an e ruption in Jef
ferson’ s science department, and it
doesn’ t have a n y th in g to do w ith
volcanoes. I t ’ s the enrollment in the
advance classes—physics and chem
istry.
Nearly 60 students were enrolled
in chem istry and physics this past
year. As recently as 1977 only fo u r
teen students were taking advanced
science at Jefferson. W hat’s the se
cret? As Fred Greaterox, a junior in
physics, puts it, " I t ’ s always some
th in g you can use. We learn how
things w ork, why they w o r k ." Jim
S tapleton, another ju n io r , has an
even m ore serious exp la n a tio n :
"S cie n ce helps you learn how to
think. It helps me in my other clas
se s ." The tr io (w ith M ik e S m ith,
ju n io r, added) all agreed advanced
science is absolutely necessary if stu
dents plan to go on to college.
Jefferson offers 19 sections o f bi
ology, general science, chem istry
and physics to over 325 who are en
rolled. Chem istry-physics teacher
Lloyd Meskimen says, "W e have a
good solid core program and a d i
versity o f teaching styles among our
s ta ff."
J e ffe rs o n ’ s science program is
successful in attracting and keeping
female students. Nationally, figures
show that fem ale students tend
either to avoid these classes or drop
out. Not so at Jeff. More than half
o f the students in the advanced sci
ence classes are fem ale and the
drop-out rate is very low.
A ll students participate in labora
to ry experiences, not ju s t the ad
vanced students. In th e ir exp e ri
ments they practice data collection
and fo rm u la tin g conclusions. De
partm ent head Helen Koopm an, a
Jefferson student herself and s ta ff
member for 28 years, says her p rin
cipal goal for her students is " t o get
them to th in k ."
As she sat re fle c tin g about the
year, Koopm an explained how the
techniques o f science tie into human
relations. In the fall she had the op-
p o rtu in ty to discuss stereotyping
and pointed out that it was a conslu-
sion based on a lack o f evidence.
" W e ju s t fin ish e d our chem istry
unit in general science and one o f
the problem s also had no solution
because o f a lack o f evidence,” she
continues. She rem inded her stu
dents o f their September discussion
and again explained that the tw o
problems were similar. This is ty p i
cal o f the c o n tin u ity w hich runs
through the c u rricu lu m in the sci
ence program at Jefferson.
A ccording to vice-principal Bob
O ’ N e ill, "O n e o f the strengths o f
our science department is that it has
a concept-based curriculum .” "T h is
approach is less random and results
in a course w hich I can b u ild on
fro m year to year. 1 can add new
equipm ent and ideas,” explains
Meskimen.
The expanding science enrollment
seems to be paying o ff. T his year
there were more students who quali
fied fo r the prestigious end-of-the-
year awards fo r science students.
The Bausch and Lomb medals were
awarded to Paige Tashner and Mark
Yee as the tw o most outsta n d in g
seniors in science. Maureen M itch-
o ff earned the American Chemical
Society award as the top chemistry
student. Lois Jo rd a h l won the
$1,000 G lenna Teeters Science
S cholarship awarded an n u a lly in
memory o f a former science teacher.
W ith the increase in num bers,
there’s also been added interest for
extracurricular activities. A Science
Club w ill be organized next fall and
its activities w ill include field trips,
guest si takers, and seminars.
For ,ne first time in several years,
a sen .ir science sem inar was o f
fered for the fall. Students who have
already completed three years o f sci
ence w ill have an opportunity to se
lect topics fo r study, and indepen
dent research p rojects w ill be in
cluded. The seminar w ill also incor
porate know ledge and skills ac
quired in other classes.
The D Floor science rooms are a
hub o f activity. The computer-gen
erated banner and the colorful post
ers featuring milestones in science
which decorate the hall are indica
tions that continued explosive erup
tions can be expected in Je ff's sci
ence department.
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Catering prices are pretty standard all over town
are the services.
Except at The Westin Benson. With crystal chandeliers,
delicate china, gleaming silver and remarkably ^ood food served
by top notch professionals, we set a higher standard
Catering costs about the same everywhere. But only The
Westin Benson offers you so many priceless extras tor parries of
20 to 500.
T he W estin B enson
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Hold on to the cold.
United Way Kicks Off 82 Campaign
United Way o f the Colum bia W illamette is gearing up for its 1982 cam
paign with a community kic k -o ff at W aterfront Park on September 1, 1982.
The com m unity a ffa ir w ill run from 12:00 to 1.30 pm and w ill feature
speakers including Earl Wantland, 1982 campaign chairman and president,
Tektronix, Inc., and Mayor Frank Ivancie.
The community k ic k -o ff is open to the public with an anticipated crowd
o f 500 people.
This year United Way hopes to raise a record amount o f $16.4 m illion to
be distributed to is 96 agencies located in Clackamas, C lark, Multnomah
and Washington counties
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774 9661
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O . >
C
< 1982.
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