A better mousetrap. An end to global warming. A cure for cancer. Life-enhancing scientific breakthroughs.
It all begins with a strong foundation in the sciences.
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The challenge is not to find better ways of teaching facts. Rather, it is to find better ways of teaching students how to observe, imagine, frame questions, and learn by experimentation. These are the fundamentals of science — the principles
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that can prepare a student for a world in which change comes faster than any course or test could ever change.
D R . A R D E N L . B E M E N T, J R . Director of the National Science Foundation
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Science Initiative
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oyola has always been a leader in science education. Many of our alumni have, in turn, become leaders in the fields of science and medicine—making the world a better place for mankind through life-enhancing scientific breakthroughs. Now it is time to build on our tradition of excellence in the sciences by creating a dedicated Science Wing with 12 state-of-theart laboratories for physics, chemistry, and integrated sciences. Why is this capital enhancement such a high priority? In the twenty-first century, a certain level of scientific literacy is essential to help us understand the world we live in and make informed decisions about issues that affect our quality of life today and our well-being in the future — from the control of infectious disease to the safety of our air and water to the preservation of biodiversity. Your support for Loyola’s Science Initiative can help us make an excellent college preparatory program in the sciences even stronger— and encourage more Ramblers to pursue advanced-level scientific study and successful careers in the sciences. Together, we can give every Rambler a strong foundation in the sciences — grounded in our distinctive Jesuit mission of humanism and compassionate service to those in need — and prepare the next generation of scientists, physicians, and innovators to meet the challenges of tomorrow.
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A strong foundation in science is essential for fostering the development of scholars who will serve humanity through innovation and discovery.
S T E V E N T. R O S E N , M.D., F.A.C.P. Director, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University Chair, Loyola Academy Science Lab Initiative Committee
Why are science labs so important? ! A well-equipped science laboratory is a gateway to discovery, where young people can become involved in deep learning and engage in inquiry-based activities that help them develop critical thinking skills.
Project Profile
! A high-quality, hands-on laboratory program not only improves students’ attitudes about science, but enhances achievement levels as well. Recent studies show that students who engage in laboratory-based learning score significantly higher than students without regular access to laboratory facilities.
S C O P E O F P R O J E C T:
! Laboratory instruction sharpens students’ observation
Create a dedicated Science Wing with 12 state-of-the-art multimedia labs, faculty offices, and a science lecture hall.
skills, encourages scientific exploration, stimulates intellectual curiosity, and helps students develop the scientific reasoning skills necessary for more advanced study and research.
FUNDRAISING GOAL:
$3.6 million in cash and pledges
Proposed Project Timetable P H A S E O N E (Summer 2007)
Build three science labs on the east side of the east wing of Loyola Academy. P H A S E T W O (Summer 2008)
Refurbish five existing labs by upgrading student workstations, furnishings, and lab technologies, as well as water, electrical, ventilation, and safety systems. P H A S E T H R E E (Summer 2009)
Move four labs from the first floor to the second floor, construct storage and office space.
! Laboratory activities encourage students to be active learners and participants in their own education. They promote concept-based, empirical learning, rather than rote memorization, which is prevalent in schools without science labs. Yet a recent study conducted by the National Research Council concluded that U.S. high school classrooms frequently lack challenging and meaningful laboratory experiences for students.
! Laboratory experiences provide invaluable opportunities for students to interact directly with the material world (or with data drawn from the material world), using scientific tools, data collection techniques, models, and theories. ! The skills and knowledge fostered by lab investigations are an important part of scientific inquiry — the process of asking questions and conducting experiments as a way to understand the natural world.
! Successful lab time bolsters students’ science literacy and can help foster the development of the next generation of scientists.
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Science, because of its investigative nature, requires laboratory-based learning. Science labs enable students to take an inquiry-based approach to science learning, based on problem solving and drawing conclusions from data. This type of learning involves reasoning skills, rather than rote memorization, which leads to a higher level of understanding. The American College Testing Board has incorporated more science reasoning into its exams in recent years. Because Loyola students will be developing their reasoning skills in our inquiry-based science labs, they will be better prepared for these exams, for college, and for their chosen careers. No matter where they go in our information-rich society, interpreting data will be an important part of their lives.
BETH WAID-PRINCE Loyola Academy Science Department Chair
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Why has science education become a topic of national importance? For nearly two decades, researchers have documented a steady decline in the quality of science education in America’s schools. SAT scores have declined overall, while gender and racial disparities in mathematics and the sciences have increased. According to America’s Lab Report: Investigations in High School Science (2005), “Most people in this country lack the basic understanding of science that they need to make informed decisions about the many scientific issues affecting their lives.” In 2003, the United States ranked 11th in science scores for 13-year-olds worldwide — behind countries such as Singapore, Japan, South Korea, the Czech Republic, and England.* The U.S. has also produced fewer college graduates in the sciences. If current trends continue, more than 90 percent of the world’s scientists and engineers will live in Asia by 2010. College Board President Gaston Caperton recently noted: “Education is the key to our ability to maintain our nation’s competitive edge, and high school science instruction is crucial to our country’s economic growth. Improved AP science courses, exams, and labs will do a better job of training the next generation of scientists and engineers, while driving overall academic reform by raising standards and achievement for all students.” Although the debate over scientific literacy continues, one imperative is clear: America— and Americans— must invest in the future by investing in science education at the secondary school level. *Source: Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study
Loyola has always been a leader in the sciences. Why is this Science Initiative such a high priority? Loyola recently embarked on an ambitious strategic plan to ensure the Academy’s continued excellence and distinction as a Jesuit, college preparatory academy in the twenty-first century. This strategic plan called for the launch of a new nine-period day in Fall 2006 to create more time for extended science labs and an extra period of science
instruction each week. Loyola’s science curriculum, which includes biology, chemistry, physics, and earth science at all levels, from basic to advanced placement, has historically ranked as one of the best in the State of Illinois. Yet our science labs, which have not been significantly updated in 20 years, must be upgraded to support the programmatic enhancements made possible by our nine-period day. The Loyola Academy Science Initiative will give us the state-of-the-art facilities we need to maintain our tradition of excellence in science education, promote a high level of scientific literacy in our student population, accommodate best practices in the sciences in the twenty-first century, and inspire the next wave of scientific exploration and discovery.
Why is Loyola consolidating all of its labs into a dedicated science wing? A dedicated wing for 12 science labs on the second floor of Loyola Academy will promote interaction among our science faculty and enable our instructors to share experiences, knowledge, and teaching methods. This arrangement will also facilitate an integrated approach to the teaching of science and foster a broader understanding of the crossdisciplinary nature of scientific investigation.
What will the new science labs be like? Our new and refurbished labs will be outfitted with state-of-the-art equipment, enabling Loyola’s students to benefit from the tools and technologies used in college and professional laboratories today. Each lab will be equipped with water and gas sources, motion sensors and force plates, vent hoods, ground fault interrupters, safety eye washes and showers, emergency exhaust venting, high-quality cabinetry and benches, multimedia equipment, tablet PCs at each lab station, and— most important— the space for more students to engage in more scientific experiments. All labs will be wheelchair accessible, with classroom areas and working laboratory areas. This combined classroom/laboratory layout will enable teachers to connect laboratory experiences with other types of science learning activities such as lectures, reading, and discussions. Students will be able engage in the full gamut of the educational experience: framing research questions, making observations, designing and executing experiments, gathering and analyzing data, and constructing scientific arguments and explanations.
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If our future physicians and scientists have a strong foundation in the sciences, but this foundation is not developed within the context of a humanistic approach, it Dr. Glenn S. Forbes falls short of what our society needs. Loyola is distinctive because it puts science and service together and inspires young people to use their skills and knowledge for the betterment of mankind. Our schools and centers of education that teach science within a humanistic context are in a unique position to promote positive change in our society — and should be supported and preserved.
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DR. GLENN S. FORBES CEO, Mayo Clinic Loyola Academy Class of 1965
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My Loyola Academy education gave me a great foundation for medical school. But I gained much more than knowledge at Loyola. I also developed the critical thinking skills that have carried me through my pre-med courses at Northwestern and will continue to carry me through medical school and my career as a physician. My lab experiences at Loyola solidified what I learned in textbooks and lectures, taught Mary Ann Onyeali me how to apply what I was learning to real life, and gave me the opportunity to work with different people toward a common goal — which is a critical component of any career in the sciences.
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MARY ANN ONYEALI Loyola Academy Class of 2004 Pre-med student, Northwestern University
A cure for AIDS...an end to hunger... clean-burning fuels...safe drinking water... the preservation of biodiversity. Just imagine what the next generation of scientists will bring. You can make the breakthroughs happen tomorrow — by cultivating excellence through the Loyola Academy Science Initiative today.
Cultivate excellence. S U P P O R T
T H E
L O Y O L A
A C A D E M Y
S C I E N C E
I N I T I AT I V E