North Harford High School
211 Pylesville Road, Pylesville, MD 21132
410-638-3650
Volume 49, Issue 9
May 15, 2018
Much anticipated Capstone night features magnet students’ efforts; Seniors showcase final Supervised Agricultural Experience project
AUBREY WILLIAMS Reporter
Former student, Krista Hiser poses for a picture with her capstone project. Hiser completed her project last year on the effects of different saddle pads on a horse’s body temperature. Photo Credit: Hannah Eyler
North Harford High School’s much anticipated Capstone night is finally here and the Natural Resource Agricultural Science students are ready to showcase their hard work. Capstone night is a chance for all senior magnet students to showcase their final Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) project to not only their family members but many professionals in the science field. These seniors have spent the last four years perfecting their lab writing techniques and collecting data on a variety of projects ranging from dog behavior to chestnut groves. For most students this moment is a night of relief after having this huge project completed and printed. North Harford is only one of few high schools
that teach a capstone class, which is normally a class taught to college students. However, often times this gives North Harford magnet student a step up in the college application process. But, the class isn’t without a lot of hard work and dedication. Thanks the capstone teachers, Laura O’Leary, Greg Murrell, Dana Wilson, and Kimberly Harris, these students have perfected their projects. All school year students work to write and rewrite their introduction, methods, results, and conclusion section of their capstone until each of the four capstone teachers are pleased with it. When asked how they feel about capstone night senior Sarah Burton explained, “I am excited to finalize my project and get to present it with everybody. I am working with the advisors to put some finishing touches on my project.” Another senior Jasmine Coates said, “I am very excited for capstone night because we have been working for four years up
until this point and I’m excited to show all the parents our hard work. I’m very nervous because my capstone is a mess. I’m excited to see how it all fits together because it is like something they would do in college and its actually all worth something”. However, these seniors aren’t the only ones who are nervous about capstone night magnet teacher O’leary had a lot to say when asked about capstone night. She states, “I am feeling a little trepidation because we are not quite ready, but we are usually not quite ready at this point. Some people are staying after school and working with teachers and some people are staying during other classes to work with teachers.” She continues, “the whole math department especially those that teach stat are helping and English teachers are looking over work. So we have a whole team trying to make these people successful. People are starting to plop their word documents into the poster templates. We’re cooking with gas!”
Elementary schools visit The Nest; Ag students host Food For America TANNER RUSSELL Reporter
the barns.” Many of the teachers attending the event believe the Food for America experience is something new and different for many of these kids because lots of them may not have the opportunity for this type of interactive, especially not in an everyday classroom. Ms. Alice Smith, a teacher from Fountain Green Elementary school, explained, “It lets them have hands on experience with the animals that a lot of them don’t get on a daily basis.” Another teacher from Fountain Green Elementary added “This field trip definitely benefits the students because they’re able
Photo Credit: Tanner Russell
On May 2 and 3, the North Harford FFA held its annual educational Food for America event. 940 second graders from packed onto busses from all different parts of Harford County to participate in this annual event. Mrs. Aimee Densmore, who is the teacher in charge of overseeing the execution of the event, said most of the event takes places down hear the barn and that students travel to the Nest to “learn about all aspects of agriculture and natural resources.’’ The program offers many hands on learning activities for the young students to take part in. The agricultural students are the ones who take charge of putting on the event where students in different grades taught lessons about agriculture at different stations around the barn area, and students who lead the
groups around. Junior Lynne Thomas worked at the fake cow milking station and said that a lot went into preparing for Food for America. “We had to contact all the schools to see who wanted to come, we had to prepare all the different stations and find volunteers to lead the groups around,” said the junior. Thomas stated, “I was in charge of the cow milking station, so I talked to the kids about how dairy cows provide all these different types of dairy products and then they milked the fake cow.” Junior Tabitha Sefa worked at a leaf rubbing station during the event and reported, “the students got a piece of paper and a leaf and they traced it with a crayon to see the veins and the shape of the leaf.” Sophomore Natasha Sherinsky was a group leader and her job was “to lead the kids around the different stations set up around
to get out in nature, they’re able to learn about some animals, and it ties right into our science unit on agricultural engineers.” Fountain Green students Gavin and Jayla both agree that they learned something by attending the event. Gavin reported, “...I learned that
cows have a hump on the bottom,” and Jayla added, “I learned that cows sometimes have this spot on them that allows you to see inside their body.” When asked if they were having a good time, they both responded “YES!!”