By Jonathan McDonough, Pacelli science teacher

Pacelli is constantly striving to offer authentic applications of course work for its students, and this is evident in the high school science department. Over 10 different science classes have been taught in recent history, including six different options in the past two years, including physical science, physics, chemistry, biochemistry, AP chemistry, biology, environmental science, ecology, and anatomy and physiology. But simply offering theory and laboratory practice in various subjects is not enough to give students a full experience in any one subject. Therefore, many extra-curricular opportunities have been offered to supplement learning experiences at the high school.

On Oct. 28 of this year, the high school physics class participated in an engineering design competition at St. John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota. In this competitive event, students participated in events that required both previous preparation and improvisational science skills, competing against schools from all over Minnesota. Pacelli students competed in three of the four events, taking home first place in the impromptu engineering event. Following the competition, students toured the campus to get a brief glimpse of college life.

The physics class will also participate in Physics Day at Target Field in May. Students will learn about the physics of baseball, including how bat density and length contributes to the distance of a hit, how various field types affect how a baseball bounces, and how sound travels very differently in a stadium than through a broadcast of the game.

This past week, Nov. 10 and 11, HOSA students (HOSA-Future Health Professionals, formerly known as Health Occupations Students of America) traveled to Bloomington, Minnesota to participate in the HOSA Fall Conference. HOSA is an international student-led organization for those interested in pursuing careers in a health-related field. The Pacelli chapter has been quite busy since its inception early this year, visiting Mayo Clinic in Rochester for tours and information on radiography, sonography, and nuclear medicine, as well as participating in the most recent conference. At the conference, delegates elected their state representatives for the organization, participated in a wide variety of breakout sessions related to current health topics, and toured the state-of-the-art facilities at Gillette’s Children’s Hospital and Regions Hospital.

The HOSA chapter will continue to attend various events throughout the year, and potentially participate in a statewide competition, even though it is Pacelli’s first year in the organization. Future events include the Spring Conference and the Mayo Clinic Celebration of Research. Such events are made possible through chapter fundraising and help from the Pacelli Booster Club.

This weekend, Nov. 19, a van of students will travel to South Dakota State University to participate in their one day STEM camp, Ready, SET – Go! At this camp, offered solely for girls interested in science, engineering, math, and technology, students will work hands-on with activities in agricultural science with aerospace engineering, biomedical engineering, and physics. The camp will be a great opportunity for students to narrow down their desired area of study, as well as meet other girls from all over the Midwest with similar interests.

We are always looking to offer more and new curriculum related extra-curricular opportunities for Pacelli students.  It is evident the interest and passion for science inside and outside the classroom is strong.

If you are interested in learning more about Pacelli Catholic Schools visit our website at www.pacellischools.org, email admin@pacellischools.org or call 507-437-3278.