CB West High School
Updates From Mr. Bucher
Program Planning at CB West!
Program Planning for next year is about to begin at CB West! To access all program planning resources, please visit CB West's Guidance Website.
January Boomerang Award
CB West is currently taking nominations for the CB Cares Boomerang Award for January.
This month’s Asset is #9- Service to Others. Young person values service to others, in their family, school, or community. He/she commits to meaningful and caring actions.
To nominate a student to receive this month’s award, please email the student's name and grade along with a brief explanation of how/why you feel this student exemplifies this asset. Please email your nomination to Ms. Power at vpower@cbsd.org by Friday, January 17.
Bucks County Students Analyze Drug Quality
On December 16th, 30 high school students from New Hope Solebury, Pennsbury and Central Bucks West high schools joined forces and played the role of FDA scientists for the day in the Students-2-Science (S2S) state-of-the-art analytical chemistry lab. The setup was that the FDA has reason to suspect a pharmaceutical company had manufacturing issues with their drug. The FDA approaches the Bucks county students and the S2S laboratory to analyze samples from a research and development batch and 3 different commercial batches from different plant locations to see if they meet the specifications. 7-8 members from each of four teams spent the day performing analytical assays using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), gas chromatography (GC), dissolution, and identity testing. During the testing, students are using melting point, ultraviolet and infra-red spectroscopy. Similar tests and instrumentation are routinely seen on the hit shows NCIS and CSI for forensic analysis. At the end of the day the students assembled as a team and presented their data. Sure enough two of the sites were making drugs that did not meet specifications. The FDA moves in and stops production… lives are saved thanks to the team work of the Bucks County students! While perhaps a little dramatic, these situations occur on a daily basis and analytical chemists play an essential role in helping to keep our country’s drug supply safe and efficacious.
The S.Y.S.T.E.M.S. (Stimulating Your Students in Technology, Engineering, Math and Science) Program at New Hope Solebury High School was started by Dr. Michael J. Daley. He sponsored the program and coordinated the participation with the Pennsbury and Central Bucks West students. S.Y.S.T.E.M.S. is an initiative that tries to stimulate student’s interest in STEM careers through discovery, mentoring and experience (www.systemsprogram.org). Each year hundreds of students participate in the S.Y.S.T.E.M.S. program at New Hope Solebury High School. This is the first collaborative program since its inception in 2010.
“This year I wanted to try to expand the program to reach out to other school districts in Bucks County. The S2S program is such an outstanding program and provides a hands-on experience for students that truly reinforces the interest in chemistry and STEM careers. Even if these students go on to major in Chemistry in college they won’t to get a similar experience until perhaps their Junior or Senior year.” says Daley.
“I was absolutely blown away with the access our students had to such modern and sophisticated instrumentation,” said Brian Hensel, chemistry teacher at Central Bucks West High School. “These kids may learn about these instruments in various courses while in a high school classroom, but to have access to these instruments and collect real data is an experience that will differentiate them from other students taking similar courses”.
Scientific innovation has produced roughly half of all U.S. economic growth in the last 50 years (National Science Foundation 2004). According to The National Science Board, Science and Engineering Indicators 2008, growth in demand for technically competent employees is rising rapidly, while graduate degrees in the United States in science and engineering are declining. Students 2 Science, Inc., is a public charity operating a modern, sophisticated analytical chemistry laboratory for the sole purpose of providing young students with an authentic STEM related work experience. Students all day in a commercial laboratory in East Hanover New Jersey where they conduct age-appropriate experiments using state-of-the art instrumentation while working side-by-side with local technical professionals.
Congratulations to all CB West Participants!
Hope For Hailey!
Hailey Bekos is a bright vivacious 8th grade student at Lenape Middle School. In July 2013, she was diagnosed with a rare and life altering disease, ANTI-NMDA Receptor Encephalitis. Today, Hailey fights for her every breath but, it wasn’t always that way.
At CB West, we are collecting donations during advisory and lunches until January 20th. Parents of CB West students can give donations to their children to hand in during advisory or during lunch. In an effort to raise as much money for Hailey and her family, we are having a friendly competition with CB East to see who raises more money. People outside of the CB West community can log onto www.hopeforhails.com and donate money to support Hailey and her family.
If you have questions you may contact the Hope for Hailey team at HopeforHailsWest@gmail.com.
About Us
Email: jbucher@cbsd.org
Website: http://www.cbsd.org/Domain/30
Location: 375 West Court Street, Doylestown, PA, United States
Phone: 267-893-2500
Twitter: @CBWestHS