At Principals’ Center Collaborative in San Francisco, teenagers with a troubled past are given a chance to redeem themselves. “Burglary, robbery, (and) assault,” are just some of the crimes committed by students, according to school Principal Kevin Kerr. In Mr. Enguidanos’ biology classroom, these same kids have discovered an extraordinary passion for science.
“When we give (students) really exciting, stimulating learning experiences, then they forget all the drama in their lives” said Mr. Enguidanos. This creative teacher says that units on dissection (using materials provided by DonorsChoose.org) has sparked students’ interest in science. Now Mr. Enguidanos wants them to expand their curiosity by focusing on pond biology. With the help of nets, guides, and other equipment, Mr. Enguidanos’s students will explore plants, insects, arthropods, and spiders.
San Francisco television reporter Lyanne Melendez ran a story about this unique biology class recently, as part of her award-winning series on DonorsChoose.org. Before the newscast was over, the project was fully funded! These resources will be waiting for Mr. Enguidanos’s students when school reconvenes in late summer. You can view the video of Mr. Enguidanos and his classroom here.
If you enjoyed this post, you can subscribe to receive new posts via email or RSS!
