Biology instructor Tom Hermanson writes: On a wintry afternoon in December, six HHS students briskly walked across the Dartmouth College campus weaving their way among snowbanks and buildings until they reached Remsen and the Dartmouth Electron Microscope Facility. The biology students were met by Charles Daghlian and Louisa Howard of the microscope facility staff. The group divided into two rooms containing two different electron microscopes. One room housed a liquid nitrogen cooled Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) while the other contained a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). The two tools use a beam of electrons to view biological samples, nano technologies, and even (top photo) individual flakes of snow!
The SEM tour started out with a look at mouse lung tissue (middle photo) including cells that contain small cellular structures called cilia. These structures looked like tiny tufts of hair, shag carpeting, or even sea anemone to some of us. These structures work to push mucus, bacteria, and dust up and out of the mouse's lungs. In the TEM room, the perspective changed and students were able to see the internal structures of the cell called organelles. Both tours finished up with a look at the pollen (bottom photo) that causes some to experience seasonal allergies. The spikes and rough exterior of different types of pollen evoked a "wow!"
This field trip is always an engaging, visual exploration into the microscopic world. We even had a new SEM visual perspective on snow as we made our way back to school along the snow-covered sidewalks.
Friday, December 18, 2009
THE MICROSCOPIC WORLD
Thursday, December 17, 2009
HHS NEAR THE TOP IN NATIONAL QUIZ CONTEST (VIDEO)
Quiz bowl coach and history teacher Bill Murphy writes: Greetings! The following are the results of the Fall Knowledge Master Open which tested school teams from across the country in the rapid recall of information. Each team used a single computer at its home school to answer 200 multiple-choice questions. Accuracy and quickness both earned points.
HHS finished 42nd out of 678 schools (top 6%) in the nation; 8th out of 150 schools (top 5%) with enrollment between 500 and 1,000; 4th out of 28 schools (top 14%) in New England; and 1st out of 3 teams in New Hampshire. HHS finished ahead of all participating schools in 23 states.
Now watch Ari Brown and Gabriel Brison-Trezise describe HHS's Quiz Bowl team.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
US NEWS MAGAZINE AGAIN PUTS HHS IN TOP 3% FOR ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT
Hanover High has won a silver medal in U.S.News & World Report magazine's Best High School rankings. HHS also won this medal two years ago. The magazine says it analyzed academic and enrollment data from 18,743 public high schools "to find the very best across the country. These top schools were placed into gold, silver, bronze or honorable-mention categories." The magazine creates its own indices based on state testing, Advanced Placement exam results and other academic measures.
The magazine's gold-medal and silver-medal awards totaled 3% of the schools they surveyed. The results were published on December 9.
Other silver-medal winners from New Hampshire were Hollis-Brookline and Oyster River. Five schools in New Hampshire won bronze medals. The magazine awarded three silver medals to schools in Vermont (Montpelier, Mt. Abraham and Stowe) and five bronze medals.
Friday, December 11, 2009
GRYFFINDOR WINS!
Emily Nice writes: Seniors charged to victory in Hanover High's first-ever Quidditch Cup. This set of games is based on the Harry Potter books, and it's popular at colleges. Each grade was assigned a house: Gryffindor (Seniors), Slytherin (Juniors), Ravenclaw (Sophomores), and Hufflepuff (Freshmen). Team Gryffindor won, earning their class the most points towards Winter Carnival.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
STUDENTS ON STAGE: LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS
Nick O'Leary writes: Students on Stage presented Little Shop of Horrors on
December 10th, 11th and 12th in the auditorium. Students on Stage is Hanover High's student-run theatre group. The show is directed, managed, teched and produced by students. This year's eight-person cast featured students from freshmen to seniors.
Seymour: Jeff Polidor -- Audrey: Molly Zegans
The Plant: Charlie Collison -- Mr. Mushnik: Connor O'Leary
Orin: Ethan Wilcox -- Ronnette: Julia Coulter
Crystal: Kelsie Hogue -- Chiffon: Olivia Zerphy
Plant Puppeteer: Ari Brown
Directed by Nick O'Leary and Eric Mead
Admission is free, but SOS will be accepting donations to support future productions.