Schools: St. Paul HS opens new science center

St. Paul High School held a May 2 ribbon-cutting ceremony and blessing of its state-of-the-art Science Center, attended by more than 600 students, faculty and supporters.The center is the first phase of the school’s campus overhaul that will include a new synthetic-turf football field and tartan field (phase 2, scheduled to be completed by August), and a complete remodeling of the school’s gym. It was made possible by a gift from John and Dorothy Shea, Manuel and Angie Soto and the Weingart Foundation. The new Science Center features modern classrooms with interactive screens and projectors along with Wi-Fi capability in the entire building, plus the latest equipment to conduct experiments.Through the center, “we are able to provide a more comprehensive and rigorous curriculum to our students,” said Kate Aceves, principal. “It will not only impact the 600 standing here today, but will impact the thousands upon thousands that will attend here over the next few decades. ''Holy Trinity student wins first place in L.A. County Science FairSixth grader Anthony Stenzel of Holy Trinity School, San Pedro, won first place in environmental management at the 2012 Los Angeles County Science Fair and was recognized by the Paleontological Society as the 2013 Recipient of the SCPS Award for Academic Excellence. His project, “The Biochemical Oxygen Demand Dilemma: What can we do to get more DO (dissolved oxygen)?” resulted from his work on the Environmental Science and Soil and Water Conservation Boy Scout Merit Badges. “Through the course of studies required by the merit badges,” said Stenzel, “I learned that the environmental conditions are just as important to sustaining life as is the food these animals need. I learned that humans can have a big negative impact on the chemistry of water.”Additionally, Holy Trinity’s eighth grade class was honored in May for earning first, second and third places in the Los Angeles Region’s Stock Market Game, a year round competition, where the students had the opportunity to participate in the InvestWrite competition where they wrote 400-800 word essays.Christian Scognamillo won the fall Los Angeles Region with an essay about investment variables such as economic and political events that affect the stock market. Alexandra Spillane placed first in the spring competition.St. Lawrence Martyr earns statewide Decathlon honorsSt. Lawrence Martyr School of Redondo Beach won second place at the Statewide California Catholic Schools Academic Junior High Decathlon, held May 4 at St. Anthony School in Fresno. In this grueling five hour competition, sixth, seventh and eighth grade students were tested in multiple subjects including logic, science, current events and math. The afternoon “Super Quiz” portion of the event was the highlight for spectators as students answered questions in front of an audience, where the pressure was intense. St. Lawrence Martyr School was first place in the local archdiocesan Academic Junior High Decathlon held in March, triumphing over 112 other schools. In the statewide competition, the team competed against nine other schools, each of them winners of competitions held in their own diocese. A special entry was also allowed from the Archdiocese of Denver. The overall winner was St. Edward the Confessor School of Dana Point.The St. Lawrence Martyr team members are Rebecca Altshuler, Matthew Craig, Aine Dwane, Amanda Elliott, Sarah Geltz, Sean Keenan, Patrick McNary, Rebecca Moore, Trevor Peitzman, Kalina Poprac, John Schlaerth, Adam Schmieder, Rebecca Schulist and Colleen Thomas. The team was led by head coach Kathy Wise, and assistant coaches Diane Craig and Nina Altshuler.{gallery width=100 height=100}gallery/2013/0621/spschools/{/gallery}