Hold the mayo

She gave me the only one,

What is the most interesting class you have ever taken? 
Submitted by Melissa. 

Advanced Coastal Biology | Grade 12 | New Bern Senior High School

Growing up in eastern North Carolina, this was an option that I had to take on. It was the first class of my school day, and it was two class periods long. Both of those factors weeded out the slackers before they could begin the class and drop it, and as a result the instructor, Kathi Whitfield, wasted no time in making us dive right in.

Almost immediately, we began dissection of coastal animals. Worms led to frogs, which led to pigs, which led to sharks. Pretty incredible to me at the time, as I had only dissected worms in a freshman biology class at that point. And as a senior, there was so much more that we had to do correctly that it forced us to learn these animals inside and out, no pun intended.

After dissection was through, we began having classes outside almost daily. We were now on a quest to learn and identify 200 different types of plants/trees native to the area. This was made extremely simple just by the location of our school. I suppose that was the silver-lining to our school having been built on what was a recently redefined piece of wetlands (we were the first class of seniors at this brand new school). I can still identify about half of these plants and trees, and can dig even deeper to recall some of their latin names.

Next began a slew of field trips. But these weren't typical, under lock and key field trips. We spent time at the local Trent and Neuse rivers, in the mud flats of Morehead City, NC, Hammocks Beach in Swansboro, NC, and across that sound, Bear Island State Park. I'd be here forever detailing what we did on these trips, but suffice it to say, up to that point I certainly had not had an instructor who gave us so much hands-on work, and expected us to handle it ourselves, as adults. Some of these trips were one day, but many were several. We felt like scientists traveling around data hunting, digging in marshes, doing sand and soil analysis... I'd be hard pressed to describe any other class at that level that had given me so much work to accomplish, yet so much freedom to get it done. I was starting to get a taste of what would come the following year at college, and I've always been very thankful of that.

This class had been taught for over 20 years, and our high school was the only school in the state of NC that offered the class. It was still allowed to be given the distinction of being an Advanced Placement class, fortunate for those of us who needed these credits for the high school college prep road map we had agreed to at the beginning of our sophomore year. Again, few classes, and very few instructors ever gave me so much freedom to gain so much knowledge.

And I didn't even know how lucky I was. As it turned out, my class was the last group of students ever given the opportunity to take it. The following year the state of NC wanted to remove the AP distinction, and trim it down to one class period, worst of all, making it predominantly classroom and paperwork based. It's my understanding that the science department refused to teach a dumbed-down version of what had been the most advanced science class available for over two decades.

So just like that, it was gone.

Although my love of science is largely peripheral, I have always been thankful to have chosen that class. Much of the content was indeed fascinating, but I think what I found most fascinating at the time was being given the independence to accomplish the necessary goals of the class, which were not trivial.

It was disappointing to know my younger siblings would never get the chance to experience it.

But you're wrong. And you're doing it wrong.

[this is basmati]

Mailbox

Started moving today... again.  But this time there are major differences that raise the quality of life, instead of forcing trade offs. The commute will be chopped down to size, from 18-20 miles to 2-6 miles! Amy will more than likely be running into work on many days, since her office is a mere 2.5 miles away from home. We're back in Orange County, back in Chapel Hill, back on the bus line, and out of the digital divide that was Pittsboro. As a matter of fact, I'll be one of only two connections on the network node serving my cable. The house is empty, but not for long.

Tablet pc running xp tablet and flyakiteosx shell replacement.

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A fucking squagel? Oh man, not funny.

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File this in the "things that should have never happened department."

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Floral pitstop

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be afraid...

Jesus_bush

You're either with him or against him, TERRORIST.