Ashley Ridge High's Biomedical Science Class

Mapping DNA, exploring human medicine, dissecting organs, analyzing bone features, sounds like a class in medical school, but students at Ashley Ridge High School are doing just that, and they're getting a big head start. We head to Summerville for our Cool School of the week.

It's not your average science class at Ashley Ridge High School, the students there are a part of something special. It's called Biomedical Science Program. The school received a 30-thousand-dollar grant from the State Department of Education three years ago to launch the Project Lead the Way Biomedical Science Program. Stacie Elwood is one of three science teachers, teaching the four courses.  She says, "We are one of 19 schools in South Carolina that offer the Biomedical Science Program to high school students. Biomedical science is when we take the natural sciences, biology, chemistry, anatomy, physiology and apply it into clinical medicine." Science teacher Minde Wheeler says, "We go to a two week long training, and basically in that two week training, we do everything the students will do during the year they take the course. We do most of the labs. We do most of the activities. We do most of the curriculum so we have hands on experience for what the kids are going to experience."

There are 170 students through out four courses. Students use a hands-on approach to critical thinking, creativity, and real-world problem solving skills, to learn about human medicine, and explore organs through animal heart and kidney dissections. Sophomore student Ricki Hughes says, "It lets me see if this is what I want to do in the future. I knew I wanted to be a surgeon, but I didn't know what type of surgeon, or if I was really cut out for it, if I was able to do the dissection, some people don't have the stomach for it, but it's helped to give me the knowledge to realize a surgeon is what I want to be." Students also map and analyze DNA. Student Alicia Bonvillian showed us the process of using Gel Electrophoresis, which separates DNA by fragments. Students Catherine Elliott and Kimberly Cole designed a heart pump. Elliott says the projects allow them to come up with solutions on their own. Elliott says, "She was like you have design a pump. We had to put everything together to see what would work and wouldn't." Cole says, "The course is absolutely amazing. This is the first year I'm taking it, and it's nothing like any of my other classes. It's a lot more hands on and it's a lot of thinking too." Students also take on the role of forensic anthropologists, to solve mysteries on their own. Senior Raymond Goodwine says, "I love it. We aren't spoon fed information any more. We have to do stuff on our own."

The Bio Medical Program has three instructors, and teachers have to take two weeks of training to teach the course. Their senior year, biomedical science students spend half the year in the classroom honing skills, the second half in the community paired with business partners working on research projects.

Ashley Ridge is going through a certification process now. By the end of the year, USC and Clemson will become affiliates, and students will receive college credit for every biomedical course.

So why is Ashley Ridge High School a Cool School? Junior Stephen Casey says, "I think Ashley Ridge High School is a cool school because we have a wide range of classes to do different fields to go into, and we're Region-8 4A champs." Senior Jordan Betcher says, "Ashley Ridge High School is a cool school because the bio med course provide us with a high level of thinking and really puts us in the mindset already for college." Principal Karen Radcliffe says, "It's our students. It's the diversity of our students, and it's the personality of our kids and the spirit that we have, and the fact that a we're so community oriented.. We know in order to be successful, we have to give back to that community."

We want to hear about the good things that are going on at your school. Send an email to Octavia at omitchell@wcbd.com and tell us all about it. You can also find a link to nominate your school on our Cool School page as well. Maybe your school will be the next Cool School of the week.