Vol. 6, NO.3, April , 1990 ~
75·40 Parsons Boulevard. Flushi ng, NY 11366
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Townsend Harris High Schoo l at Queens College
Science research class wins a world ., .
aBllt1_~1til~j~~~1mif~lt: The Science Research class won first place in the contest, "Take Flight with Ideas," sponsored by N.A.S.A and Pepsi-Cola. Of the three first prize winners in the country , Townsend Harris was the only winner on the East coast. The class, instructed by Assistant Principal Susan Appel, had to design a project which could be used on a future space shuttle . Mrs. Appel and physics teacher Phil Jones aided the class in creating their project, which was a lab proposal for an experiment entitled "Zero Gravity Bonding." The purpose of the experiment was "to see how the lack of gravity and lack of convection currents in space would affect the bonding properties of epoxy resin glue," explained Mrs. Appel. Their lab proposal, which was a suggested outline for the experiment , was mailed to N.A.S.A. On February 13, the class received a letter saying that they had won first prize - a "Starship Earth Globe," or in other words , a celestial Sphere, worth about $300. The globe arrived March 22, and prior to that, they had received 25 Pepsi-Cola pens. The group missed out on winning the grand prize, an all-expense-paid trip for the whole class, two teachers, and two additional adult chaperones to go to Florida to see the launching of the next
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sometimes during Enrichment, and after school. Altogether, the project took five weeks to finish. "It took us forever to do it, but [the contest] was worth it because ...we didn't do much classwork except for the project. That's what made it fun," said sophomore Daihung Duong. Dien also said it was fun and that he "learned how to work with groups and to compensate and compromise." Junior Judy Luong j said, "It was fun. I [now] know it's hard to work on a class project beE cause everyone has different ideas," If . Sometimes those different ideas led to strife. "Everybody argued as Susan Appel and her Science Research 'class, which placed first in N.A.S.A.'s a class," said Mrs. Appel. "It was "Take Flight With Ideas" contest, observe some of the school's cockroaches. healthy arguing because by exthe winning project. time it was frustrating and exhili- of learning on our own," said Mrs. pressing our opinions , we were Class member Dien Taylor was rating. We're very happy that we Appel. "Without Mr. Jones, we able to reach a consensus and were not disappointed by the prize. "I won," stated Mrs. Appel. Sopho- couldn't have done the project," able to pull together." think the globe was better than the more Pearl Chan agrees. "It was said sophomore Anthony Urbaites. "The class happens to be a beau-, trip after all. A trip would last a absolute torture when we were "He was very generous about giv- tiful group ...If I ever have a class' few days, but the globe is more of doing it, but it was nice to find out ing his free time and knowledge," like this, I'll do [this contest] a constant reminder of our efforts . that we won," she said. commented Mrs. Appel. again," she said. Daihung feels the The group, which con~ed.•of It doesn't matter that we didn't win Mr,_Jo!l,e~ 'Xorked wJtA. theclass same-way. "Sure -Pe-de it again ," the grand prize [becaiise] we ended . mostly sophomores and a Wew jun- every Tuesday and Thursday for he said, "because our class is fun up learning a lot from this any- iors, began by brainstormirig ideas, the duration of the project. Along and we have creative people withway," he said. Mr. Jones said, "I debating their feasibility, doing re- with Mrs. Appel, he helped to de- unique ideas." think it was an honor to get first search, and then breaking up into velop the students ' topic ideas, and Other schools with winning ideas prize. Although we didn't win the committees to decide how they he also assisted with technical were grand prize winner Shawnee grand prize, to have the recogni- would set up the experiment. problems such as how to test bond Mission West High School in tion showed that we really did a "The amazing thing is that no- strengh . Overland Park, Kansas, and first top-quality job ." body except Mr. Jones had much In order to complete the project, prize winners Park Hill R-S in According to those involved, the background on the topic, so we all students worked on it before Kansas City , MO, and Divine project was arduous. "At the same had to do a lot of research and a lot school, during class, at lunch, Child High School in Dearborn, MI. ;0,
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Fernandez holds student press conference _~_1~i~~~li~t11i11oo1iii~1~fl~1~~mI~~IN ;iil1fi
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Joseph A. Fern andez, Chancellor of ew York City Schools, held a student press conference on March 14 at the Board of Education's headquarters in Brooklyn. About 200 student journalists and their advisers, representing 75 high schools, attended this event. The high school newspaper reporters plied Dr. Fernandez with questions regarding school policy, organization, and educational issues during the one-hour session. The administrator wasted no time in getting the press conference started . Addressing the students, he said, "I think it's very important that we start talking to each other." Much of the discussion centered around the issue of school-based management. Dr. Fernandez emphasized his view that each . school should choose its own management policy and make efforts to solve its own immediate problems without depending upon headquarters. "It's better at the grass roots level, where you look at the problem and de-
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cide upon the solution," he said. Dr. Fernandez asserted that proposals .for' school-based management should only be submitted voluntarily. "I do not want a school [to make a proposal] where the faculty or principal do not want to be a schoolbased management school," he said. Currently, there are fifty city schools that are starting school-based management. The chancellor also addressed other issues, including the controversial matter of principals having tenure to remain in their current schools. He said he feels that "the tenure issue has been misrepresented" and proceeded to tell the student journalists his views on the matter. "We can deai with incompetence if we bite the bullet," he said. Dr. Fernandez believes that regardless of tenure, principals do not "own" their schools. If he fmds that any principal is incompetent, he says that the chancellor should have "the ability to pull this person out and rehabilitate him." However, he admitted, "I'll get some hits when I
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do it." Violence was another topic addressed during the session. "I don't believe that any of our students in New York City that want to learn should be denied that right because they are scared," Dr. Fernandez stated. According to the chancellor, the Board of Education receives several cases of weaponry in the schools every day. He does not believe that metal detectors or extra security guards solve the problem, although they may provide "a measure of comfort." Instead, he encouraged each school to find its own solutions. The teenagers continued to ask the chancellor about illiteracy, teachers' salaries, the drop-out rate, homeless students, specialized programs, teen pregnancy and distribution of birth control in school, and the shortage of guidance counselors. The chancellor responded to all questions with detailed answers. When one student asked him a question that he did not have enough information
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to answer, Dr. Fernandez arranged for the student to call him back after he had a chance to research it. Dr. Fernandez said his three wishes for the school system in the future are to reduce class size, especially at the elementary level; to ensure that all students, regardless of financial standing, will have equal opportuni ty to succeed; and to make graduates feel that they had received "the best education possible." The administrator said that he realizes how difficult the problems are and how ",long it will take. He added that it was easier to get down the Berlin Wall "than get down some of the things we're doing here." He told the students, "I see my role in terms of a catalyst in turning this system around." He spoke about his accomplishments as Superintendent of Dade County Schools in Miami and his hope that some of those reforms could work in New York City.
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