Isabelle Pinard
Reporter
A hum of voices filled the Syufy Theater while Science Department Chair Raymond Cinti discused the new Conservation Biology class that he is offering next year.
“I think it is fascinating that Convent is giving us an opportunity to do such a course,” said sophomore Alexis Gall. “This class seems like its going to go way beyond normal science classes.”
Conservation Biology was originally going to be apart of AP Biology, but Cinti said he wanted to have a class that would focus specifically on conservation biology.
“I came across this idea when I attended a class on biotech about a year ago,” said Cinti. “They discussed ecology and the conservation of species in the redwood forests. I then heard about a group called Save the Redwood League from a father of the elementary school that helps protect redwoods by restoring the logged forests to their original states, which immediately caught my attention.”
Conservation of Biology will focus on the saving of species and genetic diversity of redwood trees. Utilizing the school’s location to take field trips to the redwood forests and groves to collect fresh samples, students will extract the DNA and study the diversity of the redwood forests.
“I think this new class is going to be interesting,” said freshman Katie Stableford. “The class sounds like a great hands on experience and I believe that a lot of people will enjoy the opportunity that this class gives.”
Cinti says students who participate in this course will also have the opportunity to work with professors from the University of California, Berkley, giving them a taste on what it is like to work with professionals.
“What is great about this class is that an average student can excel in this class because it is not an AP, so there is no time limit,” said Cinti. “We can go into more depth and spend the time thoroughly explore these redwood trees. I myself have not done all of the labs that I plan to do, so I will be learning with the help of my students giving them the chance to learn, record, and teach like real scientists.”
