High School Uses PEF Grant for State of the Art Science Lab

Opportunity:

The science lab in Pentucket Regional High School had fallen behind the times and needed a major upgrade.  The science department turned to the PEF for the funding required to bring the lab up to modern standards.

Solution:

The PEF provided a $50,000 grant to the high school science department. The money was used to upgrade lab infrastructure and purchase equipment including a Vernier Probeware, which allows real-time experimental data collection, a cart of laptops, and a classroom set of high-powered microscopes.

Results:

In addition to providing students with a better learning environment, the new equipment has enabled the science department to introduce new courses, such as Emerging Diseases and Forensics. The science team has also introduced new topics in existing courses, which is possible due to the availability of biotechnology equipment such as an autoclave and incubator. 

“The PEF grant enabled us to bring the science lab into the 21st century,” said Amy Deacon, chair of the science department. “Our students now have the opportunity to work with industry standard, real-world equipment, which also enables teachers to explore new areas of research and learning.”