During the fall of 2020, Conestoga Valley High School (CVHS) applied for and received a science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) grant from CNH Industrial. On Feb. 26, representatives from CNH Industrial were on hand to present subject area supervisor Dan Daneker and CV superintendent Dave Zuilkoski with the grant check.
Daneker said that the grant will allow the school to acquire new and additional technology for use in classes. Requested items include a series of MiniOne PCR and electrophoresis plates with precision measuring equipment as well as a SmartReader 96 microplate absorbance reader to enhance the biotechnology aspect of electives as well as the Advanced Placement Biology class. The school also plans to purchase a Vaonis Stellina telescope for an astronomy course.
CV's previous efforts in enhancing its STEM courses have included the purchase of Ozobot robots used in classes ranging from earth science to biology and larger VEX robots for the robotics and automation classes as well as the purchase of Bluetooth-enabled Vernier projectile launchers that allow students to collect data for analysis on a wide range of physics labs
CVHS' science department offers a wide range of classes beyond the traditional biology, chemistry, and physics courses, including electives in forensic science, anatomy and physiology, biotechnology, and astronomy.
The technology department offers more than 17 different areas of study, many with three levels of options, from basic to advanced. These offerings range from the more traditional metal and wood lab courses to more unconventional courses like aviation, aerospace, robotics and automation, engineering, graphics, project design, photography, video, television production, and power and control.
In 2019-20, CVHS' technology education department was named a High School Program of Excellence by the Technology and Engineering Education Association of Pennsylvania.
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