A group of Walt Whitman High School students was invited to appear on Long Island News Radio to talk about their unique learning experiences in the fields of computer science and anatomy. The radio show, Spotlight on Long Island Schools, airs every Saturday morning at 10:30 on 103.9 FM and LINewsradio.com. The 30-minute talk show, hosted by Bob Vecchio, highlights what’s going on in Long Island districts, specific schools, and the achievements of their students and teachers.
The first group of students talked about the innovative computer science courses they’re taking at Whitman, including AP Computer Science and CyberSecurity. Computer Science teacher Fred Feraco explained that the district reached out to universities and looked for input from Whitman graduates before designing the Cybersecurity course. “We kind of designed the course around cybersecurity competitions, which seemed to be the most fun and interesting in a field that’s changing the fastest,” said Feraco. Internships also offer opportunities. One student talked about his internship at Brookhaven National Laboratory working with a senior technology architect to research cybersecurity protection algorithms.
Several students found their love of computer science in middle school because the South Huntington district now requires them to learn coding beginning in 6th grade. Walt Whitman also has a Girls Who Code club which is part of a national organization on a mission to close the gender gap in tech. Members learn new computer programming languages. As one student explained to Vecchio they also practice fake hacking as a way to learn how to prevent hacking and how to respond to it.
The district will be offering four new computer courses next year: Mobile Apps, Video Game Design, Introduction to Artificial Intelligence, and Web Design.
The second half of the interview brought in the Anatomy students who, thanks to some amazing technology, have the opportunity to digitally dissect human cadavers. The district is the only one on Long Island to have high-tech “Anatomage tables” in their middle school and high school. Anatomage tables are fully interactive, 6-foot long, horizontal touch screens (think giant iPad on a table) that display life-size real human 3D anatomy systems where users can visualize anatomy exactly as they would on a fresh cadaver. They’re used in some of the world’s leading medical schools and institutions. And they can also be found in classes at Walt Whitman High School and Stimson Middle School.
For students going to medical school, it’s a big jump on learning anatomy. Whitman students can earn up to eight college credits for these anatomy classes. Anatomy teacher Erin Roche told Vecchio, “ For students just to know all the terminology already, know the different body parts, different bones, the muscular system, endocrine system, everything. It’s important for them to get really comfortable with the terminology and the look of the cadavers and looking at someone with no skin - just bones and tissues.”
And students are fascinated. As one student explained, “The graphics are amazing because when you cut into it, you can see inside of it. So you cut into the heart and you can see the blue and the red, and the arteries and the veins.”
For more information about LI News Radio’s Spotlight on Long Island Schools click here: https://linewsradio.linkedupradio.com/lifestyle-saturdays/spotlight-on-long-island-schools
The shows featuring Walt Whitman students aired on January 28th and February 4th.
WWHS students Edgar Del Cid, Emmaleigh Goldfarb, Ashley Cox, Anthony Maida, and Ahmad Saddiqi spoke of the high school's computer science program, while Nicole Yerys, Jason Kaiser and Brennan Thompson talked about their experiences using Anatomage tables with radio host Bob Vecchio.