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The Black & White
Johnston High School Student Paper
October ‘06
Vol 16 No. 1
New classes slated for industrial tech BY MICHAEL SLUSARK EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
The industrial technology department will add classes next year that give students an in-depth schooling in engineering and engineering technology. The classes are part of a program called Project Lead the Way (PLTW). According to its website, PLTW is a “notfor-profit organization that promotes pre-engineering courses.” According to industrial tech teacher Josh Heyer, the classes will incorporate math, science and industrial tech. Four new year-long classes will be added, all of them being a single period
in length. A project will be created at the end of each class. Students who complete the classes will receive high school credit and if they have an exceptional project, it will be submitted to a university for a grade. If a student receives a high enough grade on the project, he or she could receive college credit to the university. Heyer is looking forward to the classes, but expects them to fill up quickly. “I’m excited but I’m also nervous because I think there might be more students (in the classes) than what the administration thinks,” Heyer said. “That’s not a bad problem to have though.” The first year-long class will be Introduction to Engineering Design,
followed in order by Principles of Engineering, Digital Electronics and then, most likely, Computer Integrated Manufacturing. According to the PLTW website, students in the PLTW program will receive training in current technology using the latest computer software in use in industry. The PTLW curriculum was first introduced in the 1997-98 school year to twelve New York state high schools. Currently, 1,300 schools in 45 states and the District of Columbia are utilizing the program. Heyer learned about the PLTW at yearly industrial tech conferences that he
attends. Principal Bruce Hukee also was interested in installing the program after hearing about it at a conference. Heyer will take 80 hours at Iowa State University this summer in preparation for the new courses. New digital electronic and computer manufacturing equipment will be purchased for the classes as well as upgraded computers for the industrial tech lab. At the current time, there are no prerequisites for the classes, although Algebra I is being considered. Heyer recommends that students looking to take the class have a “solid idea” in math and science and an interest in engineering.
JOHNSTON BAND TAKES FIELD Freshman Bailey Petersma puts on her game face at the Valley Fest band competition on Oct. 7 at Valley Stadium in West Des Moines. The band finished 3rd in the morning competition and 9th in the night competition.
Mike Slusark/BW
Students use various methods to prepare for ACT In this issue... BY BRITTANY DEAL STAFF WRITER
Students are preparing for the American College Testing (ACT). “The majority of colleges want students to take either the ACT or the SAT (Scholastic Assessment Test),” guidance counselor Sue Baker said. “They need a standardized exam, a nationwide exam, to compare students.” Most colleges and universities accept either test, but the majority of students in the Midwest take the ACT. Senior Megan Browning is taking it for the fourth time Oct. 28. “The first time I took it was while I was in this guinea pig group in Michigan,” Browning said. “They took all the gifted kids and forced us to take standardized tests to see how the Michigan educational system was catering to the needs of nerds.” The first time Browning took the test was in eighth grade, and it did not count. “The second time actually counted, and the third time, I tried to do better and I ended up getting the same exact score,” Browning said. In preparation for the ACT, there are review sessions led by math teachers that take place after school two times before the testing dates.
ACT offers its own study guide that can be purchased for $25. It is one of many strategies that students use to review for the national test.
Larissa French/BW
“We use the practice packet ACT prints, available in the guidance office,” math teacher Vickie Borich said. According to Borich, the math teachers have had good feedback about the sessions, and they believe the sessions especially help students without math classes. “What will best prepare (students) is to challenge themselves academically and take a practice test,” Sue Baker said.
see ACT page 2
Young Americans teach positive character and individuality
Page 2
Staff writer Tina Li reviews The Science of Sleep Page 7
Boys’ golf team repeats success in state tournament
Page 15
News.............1-3 Editorial............4 Opinion.........5-6 Review..............7 Doubletruck....8-9
Entertainment....10 Feature........11-12 Dungeon..........13 Sports..........14-15 Backpage.........16