Students Create Ornaments for Science

→ Cayte Akamu (‘25) NEWS

It gets extra festive in the science labs around this time of year as the Science Department rolls out its annual Christmas ornament projects. The project has been a tradition since 2013 and requires students to create ornaments that relate to their field of study.

For their “ChemisTree Project,” the sophomores were challenged to create ornaments and Christmas cards that represented elements from the periodic table. Sage Shiroma picked tellurium. He said, “I ended up making a silver origami wolf standing on a present in snow with crystals around it to reflect the LED light overhead. The light itself is powered by a solar panel.” While Shiroma managed to complete the assignment, he wasn’t entirely satisfied by certain aspects of his project. “There weren’t enough crystals, the tail on the wolf was too long, and there was an empty feeling to the ornament, like it needed more,” he said.

Like Shiroma, Samuel Ruan went the extra mile and added lights to his ornament. Ruan’s element was xenon, and he was happy with his pick. “It’s a cool noble gas,” he said. “I learned that xenon is the main source of light in UV lights and photography lamps. So I made an ornament with a cloud inside, and the cloud lit up like xenon.” He added, “I do wish I could’ve incorporated more photography elements to my ornament and my Christmas card, but other than that, I feel really happy about how it turned out.”

Classmate Kellan Imaguchi picked uranium. He explained, “I was fine with my element, but I would rather have had Holmium since the symbol is ‘Ho.’ I would have had a pretty good idea for the Christmas card part of the project. But I ended up making a clay nuclear plant that’s in the North Pole, and it turned out better than expected.” Ree Fukumoto, a former swimmer, picked chlorine. Fukumoto’s ornament featured a miniature pool with chlorine tablets and pool toys. Amanda Tsuha picked calcium, another well-known element. “I liked it because there are a lot of uses for calcium in our everyday lives, especially in health.” Tsuha created a milk carton ornament out of origami paper. Students who picked gasses were challenged to showcase the elements via solid items. Natali Nomura, who picked oxygen, planned on using fire to represent the gas, as fire needs oxygen to burn. She also shared what she learned about oxygen, saying,

“We really can’t live without it, and it has many different uses that I didn’t expect.”

AP Environmental students participated in “The EcoTree Project,” and their task was to showcase two environmental laws in the US by making an ornament and a Christmas card. As an added challenge, the students had to give a presentation about their projects in class.

Senior Jasmine Chang was assigned to the Montreal Protocol, a law phasing out harmful ozone-depleting substances like HCFC and CFCs. She said, “I made a mini model of the Earth with a hole on the bottom to symbolize the ozone hole over Antarctica, along with the Canadian maple leaf since the international law was established in Montreal.”

For her Christmas card, Chang made a card featuring a nuclear waste bin. “I had CERCLA, [an act] which provides a superfund to clean up uncontrolled or abandoned hazardous-waste sites, accidents, and spills.”

Classmate Marissa Watanabe represented CERCLA through her ornament. “I recycled some old batteries and dressed them up as Santa Claus and his elves, and I used batteries because they’re considered hazardous waste,” she said. For her Christmas card, Watanabe had to showcase CITES (Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species), which protects over 38,000 species of animals and plants from threats of international trade. She explained, “I titled it ‘Dear Santa Claus,’ and inside the card, I wrote to Santa all the things I did not want for Christmas. I told Santa that I didn’t want a giant panda or a green sea turtle, because both are endangered species that shouldn’t be unnecessarily traded and brought into climates where they won’t thrive.”

Science Department Chair Claire Mitchell, who introduced these projects, is always impressed by students’ creativity. “I’ve seen 3D projects, pop up cards, light up ornaments, and even interactive creations. The best projects are those that you could tell the students had fun creating,” she said. The goal of the assignment is to help students apply scientific concepts in a novel way. “I hope they get a chance to learn a little bit more about how elements play a role in their everyday lives and give their creative sides a chance to shine,” she said.

From page 1 “To Love and Listen”

Sometimes, if we’re tired, stressed, or just naturally introverted, we desperately want to conserve the energy it takes to approach others and have a conversation instead of giving it away. When I was younger, my parents would often chastise me for hiding away in the corner with a book during Christmas parties. Honestly, I’m still tempted to do that, but I’ve realized that I’d be ignoring valuable opportunities to form new relationships and rekindle neglected connections. I always enjoy catching up with someone I haven’t seen in a while and simply listening to them talk about the experiences and Iessons they’ve gained. Instead of just waving hello, take the time to sit down and have a thoughtful conversation with someone, whether they’re a distant family member or a friend of your parents. Holiday gatherings are chances to nurture relationships with diverse groups of people and make them feel valued by seeking out their advice and company.

For many of us, the holiday season is synonymous with noise and activity. We rush to and from Christmas parties every weekend, frantically drive to the mall in search of lastminute gifts, and exuberantly sing along to “Winter Wonderland” in the car. While there’s certainly a unique kind of exhilaration found in those moments of frenetic activity, I believe that Christmas should also be about loving others through quiet moments of listening. In the bustle of the holiday season, we can find ways to be still and gently speak through the noise. Over the next month, I’m planning to create thoughtful gifts, start conversations with old friends, and read Scripture and emulate the times that Christ listened in order to encourage and bless others. During his lifetime, Jesus preached to massive crowds, but he also sat down with individuals, listened to their stories and cares, and then ministered directly to them. God’s gift to the shepherds was the news of Jesus’ birth, and the shepherds proceeded to joyously pass it on to those around them. Often, when we share our love, talents, or time with someone, our gift inspires the recipient to do the same for others. Love always overflows.