Our Time 1998

W hy did the state of Illinois build this place called the Mathematics and Science Academy? The government– like senator/congressmen-type power gurus who run this state thought it would be nice to have a school where students like us would be academically-chal– lenged (unlike our home schools where most of us were socially-chal– lenged). Thanks to the taxpayers' money and the visionary teaching of IMSA faculty and staff, we have to j ump over many academic hurdles during our three years at IMSA. This was the first year of IMSA's radical redevelopment of Wednesday Exploration Days. Sophomores participated in mandatory activities with faculty membe rs and other students on EX-Days, but the mandatory activi– ties we re of the social and emotional growth-type. "We would sit around with our adult leaders every week, and talk about the topic of choice; any– thing from sex to drugs to coping with stress. You know, the things that make life...interesting," said Sophomore Rob Kinney. Administration still hopes to include research and presentation in IMSA's mandatory curriculum for all students, but has decided to rework it somewhat for next year. Once again, as is the way of life, little choice was left up to the individual... at least for the sophomores. All of the them were placed into one of the three academic programs before they ever arrived on campus: Inte– grated Learning Experience — a 3-semester program incorporating Inte– grated Science, English, Social Science, and Wellness; Perspectives — a curriculum comprised of chemistry, physics, English, American Studies and MI-2 and MI-3 classes; and the Sophomore Chemistry/Physics/Junior Uni– versity Biology program. "I like that IMSA has options for its students, but give me the classical track anyday," said Junior Andy Price. The juniors and seniors, on the other hand, had lots of choices when it came to their studies. They were able to design class schedules that fitted their personalities and goals. Once again, juniors were offered the choice to participate in the English/World History Perspectives progr am headed by Dr. Regalis and Mr. DeHaven. For the first time in IMSA history, IMSA seniors were given the chance to participate in a Senior Perspectives program called Science, Revolution, Ideology, and the Arts, or SRIA, for short, which included English, World History, Philosophy, Eonomics, and Chemistry. "We love it. It is the first class we have ever taken that successfully incorporates life, real life, and real thought, into learning," said Seniors Amelia Adams and Sachin Agarwal. For the second year in a row, the science duo of Dr. Styer and Dr. Dos ch led the way in creating t omo r r ow's ethical leaders of the scientific community. Their class, Biotechnology, incorporated mock real- world lab situations with real-world questions of ethics and morality in science. Mr. Hollistcr's and Dr. Wo r kman 's class, Science, Society, and the Future, asked its participants to presnt on varying issues of life, questions that they will have to answer for real once they graduate from college. Acadmics comprise the strong spine and cardiovascular network of the body that is IMSA. Said Sophomore Akhil Narang, "If I didn't want to be challenged, I would have stayed at home where I could sleep during my classes and still get A's. Here, if I were to sleep through my classes, I get C ' s ." I w a n t t o h o v e a ) i e i n t a s t e o f t h e m y r e f r i d g e r b t o r ' i nk w i n l : a T_» s i t o n l"he S u p r e m e C c u r t . G r e g o c y L a r n e l l , S o p h o m c re V I * M y g o a l in I f e i s t o s t a y a k i d f o r e v e r ! T s h a w n d a B u r k e , s e n i o r 124 ( s4caAemicss