OBSERVER Photo by Mary Heyl Students in Ms. Golden’s English class made “oobleck” and described its properties.

Understanding digital literacy, practicing computer programming and participating in NASA’s citizen science project: activities like these read more like a college course catalog, not a summer school schedule. However, dozens of students are engaging in these activities right now in Dunkirk High School’s summer school program.

According to Jeff White, assistant high school principal, students entering high school in the fall are taking part in this unique grant-funded high school prep program, which runs from July 8 through the beginning of August at the high school. “Basically, it’s high school boiled down into half a dozen classes that really give students the jump they need before starting ninth grade,” he explained. “Students were recommended to this program based on their grades at the end of middle school. There are lots of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) activities where students are learning the procedures and processes they’ll need to follow in high school classes.”

White noted that students’ education is largely focused on math and English in their earlier years, as there is state testing in math and ELA in grades three through eight.

“Then they get to high school where there are more electives, especially science and technology classes, that they may not have as much experience with, but will be tested on, too,” White added.

White, a certified math teacher, pointed out that many students are likely to find themselves seeking a job in a STEM field someday. “Technology, computers and social media are going to influence students no matter what they do after high school, and classes like these can prepare them for that and start some good conversations about how to use these tools productively,” he said.

Preparing for high school

In Ms. Pasquale’s digital literacy class, students discussed how they interact online and what kind of lasting impact these interactions can have. Last week, Pasquale focused on image and how people portray themselves and others online. She shared a video that showed how companies make use of the latest technology to digitally alter videos and photos to improve the people and products in them. “Why do people use filters? If you were to post a picture of yourself playing basketball, would you airbrush it?” she asked. “Would we do it more if we had that kind of technology?”

Pasquale also played a video of a student who shared an experience that changed her life when she participated in a game of truth or dare not knowing there was a camera involved. “When something like this happens, you leave behind a ‘digital footprint,'” Pasquale explained. “Can anybody tell me what that is?”

“Even if you erase something, it’s still out there,” a student answered.

Pasquale replied, “That’s right. And you never know who could see it, take a screen shot, save it and share it.”

Even traditional subjects, like English, can incorporate STEM experiences in the high school prep program. In Ms. Golden’s English class, students described aloud and later wrote about a non-Newtonian fluid called Oobleck, which gets its name from the Dr. Seuss book “Bartholomew and the Oobleck.” After Golden mixed the ingredients for the slime together, she demonstrated its liquid and solid properties by letting it drip through her fingers before pressing it together. “It’s a liquid, but a solid when you hold it,” she explained. “Applying pressure makes it a solid.”

While students experimented with chemistry in their English class, others were across the hall enjoying a great read in Ms. McMillen’s science class. In small groups throughout the classroom, students read Andy Weir’s 2011 science fiction novel “The Martian,” which follows an American astronaut who becomes stranded alone on Mars in the year 2035 and must improvise in order to survive.

As students read about the fictional character, Mark’s, interactions with NASA, they engaged in their own real-life interactions NASA. “We’re working with Dr. Jabot at SUNY Fredonia collecting data on clouds and the atmosphere for NASA’s citizen science program,” McMillen explained. “That data goes directly to NASA to be studied.”

In math with Ms. Alvira, students were practicing equations using the TI-84 graphing calculator, an essential tool for high school math classes. “In middle school, students learn the scientific calculator, but there’s a lot more to the TI-84, although the scientific calculator is incorporating more of those functions,” she explained. In practicing formulas and equations on the new calculator during summer school, students are also preparing for Algebra I, which concludes with a Regents exam at the end of their ninth grade year.

In Mr. Vecchio’s class, students practiced interactive coding on their laptops, which was preceded by an interesting “unplugged” programming practice. “First, students had to direct me to walk from one side of the room to the other using only verbal instruction,” he explained. “It sounds simple at first, but then students realized they had to be very specific about telling me which way to turn, which direction to walk in, how to get around desks and furniture. In the same way, you need to be that specific when you’re giving directions to a machine or robot when you’re creating code for a program.”

Students in Vecchio’s class even gained practice in statistics during the first week of the program. Classes made paper airplanes and competed to see whose could fly the farthest down the hall. “The winners from all the classes are going to compete against the teachers,” Vecchio explained. “So far, 48-feet is the distance to beat. After everyone flew their plane, they recorded the mean, median and mode and used the information like they would in a statistics class.”

Keeping up the momentum

At the same time that students are participating in the high school prep program in one wing, others are retaking high school classes elsewhere in the building to regain credits or prepare to retake the Regents exam. “Regression is a challenge,” White explained. “Students can lose a lot over the summer, and this helps keep the momentum going.”

Two special education classes — middle and high school — meet throughout the summer, as well, which is often a requirement of students’ individualized education plan (IEP). In Julie Reece’s high school self-contained life skills class, students practice reading and writing but also cook, go swimming and work in the garden beds made by the technology department.

“Steven Reis from the Master Gardeners has helped us,” Reece explained. “We’re growing tomatoes, peppers, cilantro, marigolds, all kinds of things out here.” Students enjoy making salads with their fresh produce, as well as cooking other foods in the classroom’s kitchen. “We’ve made banana cake, banana bread, applesauce cake, peach cobbler– these kids are great cooks!”

White is impressed with students’ hard work this summer, as well as their teachers’ creativity, enthusiasm and tenacity. “Our teachers are really going the extra mile to prepare these students for the work ahead,” he noted. “Some of these students are still learning English; others have come from very challenging situations. The reality is that education and technology are constantly changing — our lives aren’t static. Some of these students have a lot to overcome, which can be their greatest downfall or their greatest strength. Our goal is to have well-rounded students graduate from Dunkirk who are ready to adapt to new situations and opportunities, and this program is an important part of that.”