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SCC donates microscopes to local middle and high school science classes
Southeastern Community College microscopes found a new home and purpose, when they were donated to West Columbus School, South Columbus High School and Whiteville High School science and healthcare classes. After a biology lab inventory check at the beginning of fall semester, SCC Procurement and Equipment Specialist Katrina Batten determined that the surplus microscopes were no longer in use.
The idea for the donation came from Jeff Brown, SCC’s science lab technician, when he discovered the microscopes in storage. Those microscopes were donated to SCHS for use in anatomy lab classes taught by SCC instructor Mary Gessel. The classroom received 12 microscopes.
MLT instructor Dawn Williamson moved to a former biology lab classroom in SCC’s science building, the C-building. During the classroom makeover to turn it into an MLT lab, Williamson had old biology equipment removed to make space and discovered more microscopes not in use. Williamson wanted the surplus microscopes to go to other schools in need.
“Since we had a surplus of microscopes, I was thrilled to be able to donate them to the area schools,” Williamson said. “Donating the scopes to science classes is a great way to spark an interest in science in their young minds.”
At West Columbus School, 8th graders are getting a closer look at viruses and bacteria in 8th grade science teacher Rebekah Harvey’s class. She said the donated microscopes were higher quality and more powerful than the ones they used in her classroom. She was thankful for the donation and said her students have loved them so far. WCS received five microscopes.
“To be able to get these has been really cool,” Harvey said. “I used ones like these in college, but they weren’t as high a resolution. Before we got these new bacteria and virus slides, we’ve been looking at grasshoppers and seeing the tiny hairs all over their body.”
WHS received four microscopes, and they are used in Tracey Cartrette’s health science classes. To learn about any equipment surplus opportunities for your school, contact [email protected].
