Lincoln School Brings Junior Class to MBL

The Lincoln School, an all-girls school in Providence, R.I., brought its entire junior class of 46 students to Woods Hole to participate in the MBL’s High School Science Discovery Program courses.

“We thought it would be a great experience for all of the students, not just the students who consider themselves to be science-oriented,” said Alicia Taylor, Science Department Chair at the Lincoln School. Lincoln students take biology their junior year and the Lincoln faculty wanted to expand on that experience.

The students participated in: Exploring Hidden Biodiversity with DNA Sequencing, Anatomy and Physiology of Aquatic Animals, and CRISPR cas9 Genome Editing: A Hands-on Experience.

“My favorite part at MBL was being able to utilize all of the technology available to us,” said Holiday Horton, one of the Lincoln School students. “The hands-on activities and learning allowed me to further explore my interests. We have always had hands on learning at Lincoln… but being able to do the real thing and getting real results truly makes it so much more fun and interesting.”

Those broadening horizons were exactly what Taylor said she hoped the students would get out of their time at MBL.

“Our kids love doing hands on stuff, whether they consider themselves science students or not,” said Taylor. “The MBL has really incredibly facilities and technology that we don’t have access to.”

Taylor added that she hoped their time at the MBL gave them “a window into a different world a bit and expose them to science research at a new level,” said Taylor.

“This experience is the real thing, everything that you have learned in the past comes together and comes into play at MBL. MBL has so many resources that other places do not have—live animals, technologies, an amazing community of students and teachers willing to learn. This experience is so incredibly unique and fun, something that you won’t get to have in other places,” said Horton.

Fellow Lincoln School student Faith Roane agreed. “It was an immersive experience that show showcases how biologists use marine life to learn more about biology. Plus, you get to experience a college-like environment with professors, research labs, and dorms.”