Bayonne High School
Science Courses Earn College Credits

“The Bayonne Science Department has a long history of college and advanced placement courses,” according to Robert Dawson, Director of Science.  It all started with an idea back in 1988 when the Bayonne School District received a phone call from NJIT asking if Bayonne High School would like to be part of a new program they called “Distance Learning”.  The concept was new, having high school students take college courses in a high school.  At that time, (AP) Advanced Placement Courses was the only way Bayonne students could receive credit for college.  After several meetings, the district created a unique partnership with NJIT.  Any student that is enrolled in our College Chemistry, College Phys-ics, or Molecular Biology Research Courses is eligible for college credit.  All a student needs to do is register, pay a registration fee, and they can earn college credits for the course.  Credits can be transferred to any college the student may attend as an undergraduate.  Today our science students can earn credits form Rutgers as well as NJIT.

Director Dawson adds, “Bayonne students have proven they are up for the challenge in these science classes. Each of the three courses focus on a small area of science.  In our College Level Courses students are exposed to the first level course they would take in most 4 year colleges, if they were going to pursue a career in that science. Under the supervision and instruction of Mrs. Holly Levin, high school students receive training in the fast-paced field of molecular genetics, working with state of the art laboratory equipment and communicating with a research scientist from the Waksman Institute of Microbiology of Rutgers University.”

Each year a research project is selected by a consortium of teachers who participate in a four-week summer workshop at the Waksman Institute. Past projects include DNA analysis of plants, primates, and the nematode C. elegans.  Bayonne High students have achieved great success and in many cases, have had their work published and made available to share with scientists worldwide. Re-search this year focuses on the isolation, analysis, and identification of DNA sequences from the brine shrimp, Artemia Fransiscana.  Learning about the genomes of such simple model organ-isms offers a perspective into the metabolic processes of higher forms of life. Students who enroll in this course are presented with an incredible learning experience opportunity.  Many BHS students have gone on to pursue careers in genetics and biotechnology.  BHS science teacher, Mrs. Levin states, “I believe the way to learn science is to do it.  The hands-on approach that the Molecular Biology Program offers is priceless.  I am privileged to be a part of it.”

The College Physics Class gives students the opportunity to experience the challenge and vigor of a college level physics course in a small cooperative atmosphere while paralleling the NJIT Physics III Class Syllabus, students learn valuable problem solving skills pertaining to Classical Newtonian Mechanics.  Hands-on investigative labs provide the opportunity to physically and visually experience the physics and to bridge the gap between textbook principles and real-world science.

Joseph Collins, BHS Physics teacher, states, “The goal is to inspire students to be aware of the physical world around them, to take time to notice and ask questions.  A desire to know the how’s and the why’s behind the working at our physical universe is what I believe good physics starts with.”

The first College Chemistry Class was started in September of 1988.  In the time since then, students have participated in the American Chemical Society’s Chemistry Olympics for eleven years and have received two first place finishes (2005 and 1998), one second place finish (2005) and two third place finishes (2000).

College Chemistry is part of The New Jersey Institute of Technology Eastern Educational Consortiums Pre-College and Distance Learning Program. The course has the same curriculum as Freshman Chemistry at NJIT.  Upon completion the students receive six college credits.  Charles Seested has taught this class from its inception and states, “The College Chemistry and the Chemistry Olympics give the students the opportunity to see that there is a bigger world out there.”