DNA Learning Center Engages Huntington SEARCH Students
More than 50 Huntington SEARCH program students recently spent a full day at the DNA Learning Center in Cold Spring Harbor engaging in several customized lab experiences, which provided the youngsters with specialized hands-on experiments.
The journey down State Route 25A marked the third consecutive year that these now sixth graders have enjoyed high level science labs taught by the center’s expert instructors. The youngsters, who were arranged into groups, participated in sessions, specifically related to topics they have been studying in SEARCH classes during a recent ten-week unit.
SEARCH is the acronym for the Scholastic Enrichment and Resource for Children in Huntington program. It’s been in existence for more than a quarter century and includes academically talented students in its purest form and casts a wide net hauling in hundreds of youngsters with it many offshoots.
The 53 Huntington students were accompanied to the DNA Center by SEARCH teachers Maryann Daly, Anne Kelly and Christine Lofaro. “The students really enjoyed the intellectual challenge posed by each of the experiments,” said Mrs. Daly, who also serves as the program’s chairperson.
One experiment, titled “Better Milk for Cats,” involved using enzymes to convert milk into a lactose free liquid, because cats cannot break down the lactose in whole milk, much like many people who are lactose intolerant. “The smell of butter milk was evident in the lab during this time period and some of the students tasted their cheese creations, which weren’t all that horrible,” Mrs. Daly said.
Another experiment involved the creation of apple juice using the enzyme emporase. “It was fun to watch the children make their own food in a lab atmosphere,” Mrs. Daly said. “Learning science and having fun while doing so equates to a very positive learning atmosphere.”
A two-hour afternoon lab session explored gene therapy. Huntington students learned how to collect bacteria, slab it onto agar (a gelatinous substance) in a Petri dish and then use a substance to make the bacteria glow. “Needless to say, the scent from this experiment left many students understanding why bacteria is not something you want around you on a regular basis,” Mrs. Daly said.
The use of the pipettes, bunson burners, Petri dishes filled with agar and being in a professional lab environment was not lost on the youngsters. “They knew the DNA Learning Center is a very special place which takes the learning of science very seriously,” Mrs. Daly said.
The trip was the culmination of a chemistry and forensic science unit led by SEARCH faculty members. The Huntington School District has forged a close working relationship with the DNA Learning Lab and has taken advantage of its close proximity.
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