Teachers focus on freshmen

Education grants will allow educators to take students off campus to participate in projects

Web posted September 2, 1999

 Students build on skills

By Faith Johnson
Staff Writer

Two Lucy C. Laney High School teachers are the only ones in the state to secure a grant geared to help freshmen develop an interest -- before their senior year -- in math and science.

Richard Dunn, a math teacher, and Carl Hammond-Beyer, a science teacher, received a $12,000 grant this summer from GTE.

The grant, titled Growth Initiative For Teachers, will allow the teachers to take students off campus to participate in projects and will provide money for materials.

``Our long-term goal is to help students pass the Georgia High School Graduation test so they can receive a diploma,'' Mr. Dunn said. ``We are integrating math and science by allowing them to do hands-on activities at six local ponds.''

On the Georgia High School Graduation Test, last year and the year before, less than 50 percent of Laney students passed the science portion. In math, 53 percent of the students passed during the 1997-98 school term. Last year, 70 percent passed.

Mr. Hammond-Beyer said he is already seeing the grant's impact.

``The students are excited about doing science and math.'' Mr. Hammond-Beyer said. ``We will expose them to technology used by real scientists. We will take them to places they don't normally go and they will be associated with things that make science fun and interesting.

``If we don't catch them while they are freshmen we will be playing catch-up by the time they are in upper grades.''

The teachers will take the students to the ponds at least 14 times and allow them to analyze aquatic vegetation. The students will monitor the ponds for the rest of the school year.

Faith Johnson covers education. She can be reached at (706) 823-3765 or faithj@augustachronicle.com.