Eneida Chavez-Theiss '28
SCH has just introduced its first-ever official academic track, the BioMedical Science Focus Track, to the students in the class of 2028. This track will not only help SCH students excel in BioMed fields in the future, but could also attract aspiring BioMed students from across the region to SCH and become a defining feature of the school.
It also makes students look more appealing on their future college applications and resumes by making sure that they take appropriate BioMed-related classes and accumulate extracurricular science experience. Students in the track will even receive a BioMedical certificate upon graduation, which Science Teacher Lisa Queeno, the coordinator of the program, says will put a “nice little asterisk on their college application.” This will demonstrate to colleges that they are committed to biomedical science, which highlights the students and sets them apart from other BioMed applicants.
The BioMedical Focus Track is only offered to freshmen, starting this year with the class of 2028. Acceptance into the track is highly selective, with Queeno estimating that three to five students will be accepted from the freshman classes every year. The acceptance process is thorough, with students needing to fill out an application, have an interview, and answer several questions about why they believe they would be a good fit for the track and why they want to join.
While the number of students being accepted is low, the application process will ensure that students are appropriately evaluated and determined to be well-suited for the program. Additionally, if there are enough strong and qualified applicants, Queeno has stated that, “If we really can’t whittle it down, then we’ll accept more.”
Many benefits to this program have drawn students into applying.
These activities are mandatory since every student in the track has to complete 25 hours of ‘out-of-school’ science work after their sophomore and junior years, ensuring certificate recipients can boast 50+ science hours on their resumes and college applications. Additionally, by joining the track students will go on field trips and attend speaker events while also connecting with scientists, doctors, universities, etc. This will be highly beneficial for the students in the long run, since these connections can help them find internships, jobs, mentorship, and shadowing opportunities in college.
In general, many of the applicants believe the track’s inclusion into SCH is a great opportunity for those interested in BioMed. Soleil Bynum, one of the applicants, is set on becoming a veterinarian in the future, and believes that this track is, “a good stepping stone to reaching that overall goal.”
The idea for the BioMedical Focus Track originated from Science Department Chair Scott Stein. He spent “at least a decade” trying to incorporate it into SCH, Queeno said, and now that it’s running he has become the track program director. Unfortunately, due to his retirement at the end of this year, Stein’s time as director will be cut short, and since Queeno is the official program coordinator, she will continue leading the program next year.
As the official program coordinator, Queeno accepts applications, makes sure the accepted students are taking the right courses, and helps link them with extracurricular opportunities like internships to get the required ‘out-of-school’ science hours.
The Biomedical Focus Track could bring a lot of benefits to SCH. If it is successful, it could emphasize our school’s unique, specialized programs, distinguishing it from other institutions. Additionally, there might be a rise of tracks at SCH and the surrounding school districts, which could benefit the students that already know what profession they want to pursue and need help getting there.
Currently, ten have applied to the track this year, and many families and other students have expressed their interests in the track. The track is “well-received by the community,” says Queeno, which shows promise for its future at SCH.