Science teacher Mrs. Lara Irvin was recognized at the beginning of the year at the back-to-school faculty meeting for receiving a grant from the Springdale Education Foundation to fund nuclear science learning in chemistry classrooms. The grant recently provided the school with $1,000, which was used to purchase a radiation detector, radioactive sources, and cloud chambers.
“These sound scary,” said Mrs. Irvin, “but the amounts of radiation given off are relatively low and safe for students to use in the lab.” These new technologies are being implemented into AP Chemistry labs to view alpha and beta radiation in action.
Mrs. Irvin’s chemistry classes that she taught at Rogers Heritage High School included a unit on nuclear radiation, which prompted her to apply for this grant back in March of 2012. “The kids find it interesting,” said Mrs. Irvin, “what most kids know about nuclear radiation comes from Hollywood or scary news reports.”
Truthfully, it is imperative and beneficial for students to learn about nuclear radiation as the world advances daily in technology. Nuclear education can be beneficial or detrimental for political or medicinal purposes. “As we make decisions about electing public officials and vote on public policy,” said Mrs. Irvin, “it’s important we understand the delicate cost/benefit relationship mankind has over the atom.”
In Springdale especially, nuclear radiation education hits close to home.
“In Springdale we have a unique demographic of immigrants from the Marshall Islands,” said Mrs. Irvin, “many students were shocked to learn about the devastation wreaked on their homeland when the US conducted nuclear missile tests on the Bikini Atoll.”
The tests left the islands relatively uninhabitable, causing an exodus predominantly to Springdale.
It’s easy to see the tragedy in the Marshall Islands, but learning about it at school makes the devastating power of nuclear radiation seem much more real. This is one of the inspiring reasons why Mrs. Irvin teaches about the powers and responsibilities that come with nuclear weapons.
“Many people don’t learn about the remarkable diagnostic and treatment power of radioisotopes until they, or a loved one, are facing a catastrophic illness,” said Mrs. Irvin.
Applying for grants such as this one takes immense amounts of work and dedication. Projects that are more likely to receive grants are those which will most likely benefit more students and are sustained beyond the grant year.
“I heard later that they laughed because my packet of documentation was so thick,” said Mrs. Irvin.
The grant was only available to schools in the Springdale district, and about a hundred schools applied. This was the first grant Mrs. Irvin has gotten funded, and upon receiving the excellent news, she was ecstatic.
“It’s like getting a 100% on a test!” Mrs. Irvin said.
