RNA Celebrates Darwin's Birthday

We began the festivities by enjoying cupcakes before researching the life of Charles Darwin. Using the web site http://www.aboutdarwin.com each student selected an aspect of Darwin's life and shared it with the others. It was a wonderful way to understand and learn how such an important scientist lived. One student found and shared Darwin's daily schedule; another shared Darwin's interests. Another student told the group about childhood stories that Darwin wrote in his autobiography.

This sharing led to lively discussions on how evolution is viewed throughout the country and the world. Our students are very diverse-some come from different countries, such as India and Germany (of African descent.) Others have lived here all their life, but clearly have the cultural influence from their family's homeland of Mexico, China and Vietnam. We discussed everything from the impact of religion on science, all the way to religious freedom and culture around the world.

It was an truly inspirational meeting that I know Darwin himself would have enjoyed!

RNA at MSI Special Event

On Saturday, January 21, 2012 the members of the Rickover Naval Academy Biology Club attended an exclusive event at the Museum of Science and Industry “New Worlds, New Discoveries.” This special event allowed the general public an opportunity to learn about the latest findings of space exploration and search for life beyond earth from NASA scientist, Dr. James L. Green. The event was divided into two sections-a lecture, followed by a question and answer session. The audience was very diverse and so were the questions. All of the RNA Biology Club members were involved in the question and answer session and thoroughly enjoyed the event!

Club members and sponsor pictured from left to right: Sintayehu Regassa, Geo Bedrejo, Nam Duong, Mrs. Palmer (club sponsor) Duc Tran, Ricardo Morales and Alejandro Moreno. Picture taken by chaperone, Ms. Ortiz.

I urge all of you to get involved with Save The Frogs Day--see the link below. This is one of the best ways to get your students--at any level--involved with a very important biodiversity problem. There are a lot of great ideas on the web site to engage your students, capture their attention, etc. PowerPoint presentations are avialable for you to use in your classroom or in your community. My BioClub at Ware Shoals High School has adopted this as their annual community service project. They are already preparing for the next event that takes place on April 28, 2012. Again, please check out the website; if you have any questions do not hesitate to ask me or send them to the Save The Frogs organization.  http://savethefrogs.com/day

New BioClub chapters!

Please join me in welcoming the newest BioClub chapters to our growing list. They are:

Ronald Reagan College Preparatory School, Milwaukee, WI--Advisor is Kathleen Westrich

Grafton High School, Grafton, WI--Advisor is Fran Grant

Canyon Springs High School, Moreno Valley, CA--Advisor is Theresa Buggage

Animo Leadership Charter High School, Inglewood, CA--Advisor is Mark Friedman

Serrano High School, Phelan, CA--Advisor is Julie Gallagher

The BioClub reception at the Anaheim meeting was well attended, and Carolina Biological had some great refreshments for us!! Be sure to thank them for sponsoring our reception and for all the great perks that they provide for us.

Please post what your group is doing.

Till next time--George

The NABT club at Northridge High School has had a great year. The 52 members have raised money to pay for their paper recycling project. They also collect cans and bottles in the school weekly. They are creating an informational DVD to help get other NABT clubs created in our area. It will be distributed in April to area schools. Earth Week will be wonderful with a recycled sculpture contest, corporation wide. We are also adopting 4 endangered species and trying to buy clean air credits. They are also reading environmental trivia and helpful hints on the announcements. They have obtained 100 trees and are passing them out to people who can use them. There will also be a car pooling contest for earth week. Lots of fun and educational too--Dawn Kessler, BioClub Advisor

Project: Adopt and Save a Baby Bonobo

Students in Minnetonka Biology Club are working to make and sell buttons and magnets to raise funds to Adopt and SAVE Baby Bonobos! All sales proceeds will go directly to adopt baby bonobos orphaned by the bush meat trade in the Democratic Republic of Congo/native habitat to the Bonobos. For more information see the following links:

http://www.friendsofbonobos.org/

http://duke-roots-shoots.blogspot.com/2010/12/high-schools-skype-to-save-bonobos-and.html

http://sites.google.com/site/fieldbio1/home

LSU Lab School BioClub Seniors

Eighteen members of the LSU Lab School BioClub graduated on May 22, 2010. They were able to pose back-stage for a few photos to show off their green graduation cords.

Thanks NABT & Carolina !!!