By Calvin Lee
(*Due to the closure of Williamsville schools, any dates mentioned are postponed)
The science department at East is an essential component of what the school has to offer in terms of both courses, clubs, and events. Not only is it the biggest in terms of real estate, being the only department to occupy space on multiple floors, it offers the most diverse selection of activities that suit any interest a student may have.
There are classes in Earth Science, Chemistry, Biology, and Physics varying from Regents levels that satisfy state requirements to Advanced Placement college levels. Some of the most rigorous coursework in the high school is administered by the Science department, and many of these, such as AP Physics, are great groundworks for students who are planning to college in the future.
There are also half-year elective courses that give students an opportunity to explore passions outside of the core academic sciences. Examples of these include Astronomy, Natural Disasters, and Anatomy, all of which are taught by different teachers who have respective specialized background knowledge. Mr. Davidson, who teaches Living Environment, said that he “hopes students will test their different interests in these unqiue classes.”
The Science Department hosts a wide variety of clubs. There are environment clean-up clubs, such as Earth Wise and Project Green, that are responsible for community service activities for reducing waste. Students can earn volunteer hours through these clubs. There are also Olympiad clubs which cater to more competitive students who want to win events in their favorite areas, such as Chemistry and Biology Olympiad, whereas Science Olympiad covers almost all school topics as well as more lab-based events. The latter has advanced to the State and National level many times in past years, and this year’s team will continue to the State competition in May after winning at the regional level.
Additionally, for prospective college students, the department holds graduation awards that include scholarships given out in June. That is even more encouragement for students to challenge and excel themselves in different sciences.
