6th Issue * Health Science Connection for Montana Educators

Students found the tape outline of a body on the classroom floor last week when they walked into the first day of Bozeman High School's new biomedical sciences class.

Fake blood made of Jell-O, novelty-store vomit and yellow police crime scene tape added to the scene's drama. A police report, upended stool and pet dog provided more clues. The mystery was on.

Was the victim murdered? Did she trip on her little dog's leash and crack her skull? Or did she die of some underlying illness?

"It was real cool, like a detective scene," said Carson Schmit, 15, a sophomore. "I felt like ... a crime scene investigator. It was kinda neat." Ean Weaver, 15, said he was surprised by the death scene.

"I thought we were going to go over lab safety," he said. "It was a good first impression of the class."

Biomedical sciences is a new elective class designed to teach Bozeman High students about the wide range of careers available in the medical and health science fields n from coroners to cardiologists, nurses to nutritionists, pharmacists to personal trainers.

"I've always kind of wanted to be a doctor," said Michael Daines, 15. "This sparked my imagination."

Julia Cummings said she signed up for the class because she'd like to be a veterinarian. Bethany Wyrick is interested in nursing.

Bozeman High already teaches some career and job-oriented classes, like business, drafting and auto shop, wood shop and metal shop.

The new biomedical class, which students can take for up to four years, will help them learn about career opportunities in one of the fastest-growing parts of the economy. In the next five years, 3.6 million new jobs will be created in health care; eight of the 20 fastest-growing jobs in the next decade will be in health care, according to Project Lead the Way, the nonprofit that created the curriculum.

"It's high-need, high-paying fields," said Mike Ruyle, assistant principal.

Bozeman High is the only school in Montana that's offering this four-year program, and it isn't costing the district an extra dime, Ruyle said. The cost of about $50,000 is being paid for through a federal grant plus federal Perkins Act money for vocational and technical education. Grant money paid for 15 laptop computers students share in class.

Teacher Amy Washtak, who has taught science for eight years at Bozeman High, attended a two-week intensive summer training workshop in Baltimore to learn how to teach the classes.

"Students are excited, they really are," Washtak said. "'CSI' programs are the hook, but there are many more fields" in health care.

About 150 students tried to sign up for the class, but there was only room for 90. Younger students were given preference over seniors because they'll have a chance to stay with the program all through high school.

It fills a technology credit required for Bozeman High's new, tougher graduation requirements, Ruyle said. In the past, students needed 21 credits to graduate, or 23 for a college-prep diploma. Starting with this year's juniors, they need 23 credits just to graduate, and 25 for a college-prep diploma.

On Tuesday, students did research on the job of 911 operators - how much they earn, how much education they need.

Later students will learn about heart attacks, cell communication, metabolism, genetics, diseases and viruses. It's a hands-on, project-oriented class, so students will make models of the swine flu virus, build a pump to understand what the heart does, look at blood cells under a microscope and dissect a sheep's heart, Washtak said.

And soon she'll hand them the autopsy results on their mystery dead woman.

"It's a great way to start school," she said.