Thursday, October 1, 2026
Science research has become a cornerstone of modern education, and South Side High School is taking its program in a new direction. A new hands-on, lab skills-based program was introduced in September, allowing students to build foundational research skills and develop independent research projects in a number of scientific disciplines.
The program’s objectives extend beyond technical research methods to include transferable skills such as oral presentation and scientific literacy. The goal is for students to gain confidence and independence while becoming well-rounded people.
South Side has launched a two-level program. Level I students, freshmen and sophomores, focus on developing lab skills and designing a research project from the ground up. Throughout the year, they conduct research on a number of organisms ranging from duckweed to fruit flies.
“Our Level I students right now are currently working with live organisms,” Madeline Getty, the school’s science research coordinator, said, “learning various lab skills that they can then take and apply to summer research opportunities, working in labs at different universities over the summers, [and] then, when they get to the Level II course, which is currently our juniors and seniors, those students are working to develop an independent project in their STEM field of choice.”
Level II students, juniors and seniors, develop in-depth research projects aligned with their specific interests. Building on the knowledge and skills gained in Level I, they are able to formulate more complex research questions.
Skills such as culturing live organisms, performing serial dilutions and conducting statistical data analysis are emphasized as critical for success in secondary and postsecondary science, technology, engineering and math.
“Science research at our school gives students the chance to develop critical skills and traits that will benefit them for a lifetime,” South Side Principal Dr. Patrick Walsh wrote in an email. “Participation in this program helps open doors for students that otherwise would not be available to them. We are so proud of their hard work, creativity and perseverance.”
The program aims to enrich students’ high school experience and to prepare them to compete in local, national and international science competitions. They are also encouraged to pursue internships and mentorships at universities, medical schools and research institutions on and beyond Long Island, and to apply to summer programs related to their fields of interest.
Several students, including senior Christian Chan, have developed research projects in collaboration with institutions such as Stony Brook, Adelphi and Hofstra universities.
“I’ve been part of South Side's science research program for four years, and it has quite literally changed the course of my academic career,” Chan wrote. “As a clueless freshman, I chose the class on a whim, but the opportunities and experiences it has offered me have led me to get a head start on my path toward a career as a military physician. By giving an early taste of research, it opened my eyes to what a career in science looks like and opened up doors to get accepted to a top ten high school research program (Stony Brook University's Garcia Program) by sophomore year.”
Chan’s team research was conducted at Stony Brook’s Garcia Center for Polymer Research and presented at the Materials Research Society Conference in Boston, Massachusetts last December. The project — titled “Rhizobium Tropici-Produced Biopolymer Effects on: Germination Rate of Arabidopsis Thaliana in Sand, Evaporation in Sand, and pH Neutralization” — focuses on United Nations estimates that the global population will grow from 8.2 billion to 9.8 billion by 2050, increasing pressure on global food production. To meet rising demand, agricultural industries have increasingly relied on synthetic fertilizers and monocropping, which have contributed to soil nutrient depletion and farmland desertification.
Chan’s research examined whether naturally derived extracellular polymeric material, which binds sand particles and improves soil stability, could support plant growth in nutrient-deficient soils. The material was applied to sand with varying nutrient levels to evaluate its impact on vegetation. Results showed that, in the most nutrient-poor conditions, plants treated with the biopolymer experienced a 400 percent increase in shoot biomass compared to untreated plants.
The findings suggest that biopolymers could play a role in sustainable agriculture by improving soil health and supporting crop growth in degraded environments — and Chan has demonstrated his readiness to pursue further research after he graduates from South Side High.
The program will continue to expand next year with the addition of molecular biology and social science research, thanks in part to a grant from the Rockville Centre Education Foundation to purchase molecular biology equipment. The nonprofit supports initiatives that enhance the quality of public education in the community.
“The students in this program that are choosing to come and learn and do science every single day has been the biggest joy to me,” Getty said. “Seeing how excited they are to be here and to be in class, and they’re so excited about their projects — they can tell that they’re learning, which I think is the best part.”
For more information, visit SSHS.RVCSchools.org.
