Green Chemistry program at Quincy High
Julie Krieger hails from Portland, Ore., one of the most green-conscious cities in America - it was ranked second this year in Country Home magazine's Top 25 Green Cities.
So it makes sense that Krieger, who earned her master's degree in teaching at Harvard University and begins her teaching career at Quincy High School this year, is going green early. She heads up the Green Chemistry summer program at the school, courtesy of a federal Environmental Protection Grant of $70,000, administered by Beyond Benign, a nonprofit organization specializing in science education and the principles of green chemistry, which encourages products and processes that reduce or eliminate hazardous substances. The organization was founded by Quincy High School alumnus John Warner, who is also president of the Warner Babcock Institute for Green Chemistry.
"We're doing a lot of hands-on projects this summer, such as creating raised garden beds on the roof of the school that are run sustainably with no chemical treatments, creating biodiesel fuel in the labs, making solar cells," Krieger said. "And we're doing lots of field trips, such as going to Beyond Benign headquarters in Woburn."
Seventeen middle- and high-school students are taking the summer program. "These are kids who are highly motivated; they enjoy science and definitely want to be here," she said.
Krieger, who will teach biology and environmental science, said the school doesn't have a green component in its teaching but wants to, which is why science department head Peter Swanson pushed for the summer program. She hopes the green movement will carry into the regular curriculum soon, and sees this summer's program as being a push in the green direction.
The students are scheduled to give a presentation about the summer course on Sept. 18 at the school. It is open to the public and Warner is expected to speak.
"That's the goal of Beyond Benign, to do community outreach and get people thinking about green practices in their daily lives," Krieger said.
For more information, visit www.beyondbenign.org.
ANOTHER WINNING ENTRY: For the third year in a row, Ricky Housley of Scituate has been named the grand prize winner at the Middle School State Science and Engineering Fair. Housley, who graduated from Inly Middle School in Scituate this year and plans to attend Boston University Academy as a freshman in the fall, won with "Cellular Automation." He also won the regional Clean Technology Award, presented by the Foresight Project. He won the grand prize science fair award in 2007 with "Interfacing and Controlling a Robotic Arm with a Computer."
DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEE OFFICERS: The Plymouth Democratic Town Committee has announced its new slate of elected officers. William J. Keohan is now chairman and Jonathan M. Graham is vice chairman. Janet Alfieri was reelected recording secretary and Jane C. Busi was reelected treasurer, with Andrea Schrader elected corresponding secretary.
BUSINESS BRIEFS: Ronald Lang (inset) of Sharon has been elected chairman of the board of directors at the South Area Solomon Schecter Day School of Norwood. He succeeds Mark Popovsky, who served a three-year term. Lang has held senior management posts in engineering, manufacturing, and finance at several major companies. He was elected at the school's annual meeting, where also elected as board members were Vicky Dyckes, Susan Sherman, Michael Agus, Jason Wolfe, Ed Rubin, Sean Lilienfeld, and Judi Greenburg.
Leslie Lockard (inset) of Walpole has been named to the board of directors of the new Neponset Valley Philharmonic Orchestra. Lockard, an attorney, has an office in Norwood.
Richard L. Rowe of Marshfield, president and chief operating officer at Scituate Federal Savings Bank, has been elected east regional director of the board of directors for the Financial Managers Society.
The Bank of Canton has honored Charles W. Pinkham, one of its longtime contributors, by renaming the auditorium at its corporate headquarters after him. Pinkham served as chairman of the board of trustees from 1962 to 2007. During his more than 40 years of service, Pinkham helped to implement many policies and philosophies that guide the bank today, said James D. Egan, the bank's president. Pinkham and his wife of 60 years, Lynne, were on hand at the dedication.
Boston-based DTZ FHO Partners has been selected by LNR Commercial Property Corp. as the exclusive leasing agent for SouthField Corporate Center, part of the 1,400-acre SouthField mixed-use development at the former South Weymouth Naval Air Station.
