iCAP students hear nuclear engineer

VWHS news

Students in Van Wert High School’s New Tech iCAP (Integrated Concepts of Algebra and Physical Science) classes recently had a videoconference with a nuclear engineer to further their knowledge of nuclear energy and its impact in today’s society.

Joe Guiffre joined the high schools three sections of iCAP for a 20-minute videoconference this week via Skype. Guiffre, who is a U.S. Navy veteran, got started in the realm of nuclear energy when he entered the Navy in 1976.  He has held many positions in the industry including stints on nuclear submarines in his Navy days and now as a civilian nuclear engineer for various nuclear power plants around the country.  He received his degree in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue after being honorably discharged from the service.

Guiffre was the guest speaker for the iCAP classes who are currently involved in a project titled “Nuclear Know How”. The student project launched on January 4 will conclude with a debate style presentation on February 13-14.  At the beginning of this project the students were introduced to the positive and negative aspects of nuclear energy by a series of videos called the entry event.

After the event, students were given the entry document, which in this case was a letter from AEP Ohio asking them to take a position in the nuclear energy debate.  Students then collaborated on a journal to establish their position in terms of the debate, stating either for or against the development of more nuclear energy in the United States.

Throughout the project students have become versed in processes such as radioactivity, nuclear decay, types of nuclear radiation produced in the decay process, and the effects of radiation on living things, which are topics required in Ohio’s Common Core Standards for Science.

Students have been applying concepts of inequalities for the Algebra Common Core Standards. For the Algebra piece, students have become knowledgeable in EPA standards as they related to how much radiation exposure and absorption is deemed acceptable before health issues can occur.

Students, called learners in the New Tech Model, will complete their project with a debate and a written concluding brief. In the brief learners will be summarizing all the science standards required by Ohio in the realm of nuclear energy, as well as integrating Algebra standards based on the concept of inequalities.

Van Wert High School is one of only approximately 100 New Tech schools in the United States.  An essential component of the New Tech Model includes connecting learners with various experts in the core areas.  In this model students are working in a project based learning atmosphere that addresses all the relevant state standards deemed necessary to meet state graduation requirements.