By Vince Teresi
Kennedy High School received about $60,000 in grants which has expanded learning opportunities for students.
The Mid-Willamette Education Consortium awarded Kennedy High about $15,000 to purchase equipment for its biomedical and engineering programs. Students in the program will be introduced to cutting-edge technology, such as low level laser therapy, combination therapies of ultrasound and electric stimulation, and basic EKG equipment.
Kennedy High School is one of the national winners for the Target Field Trip grants, which provids funds for the oceanography class to visit the Yaquina Bay Outstanding Recreation Area to explore the local tide pools and the Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport.
Kennedy also received the Lowes Toolbox for Education grant which provided funds for improving the science classrooms as well as create a Health Sciences Lab which will also function as the athletic training program. Student interns will maintain and operate the free clinic which will include therapeutic exercise and modality care to athletes under the supervision of Jeff Crapper, registered/certified athletic trainer.
The school is one of two high schools in the nation to pilot a bioengineering curriculum which will introduce students to various surgical techniques and the opportunity to perform these procedures on plastic replicas. The Siletz Charitable Trust awarded $2,900 to Kennedy High to upgrade the science classroom.
Crapper, who is also the Health/Science teacher, said the grants “have provided invaluable tools and learning opportunities for our students. We are blessed to teach cutting edge concepts and labs through providing so many hands-on learning projects.”
