St. Francis Prep, Fresh Meadows, is one of the first high schools in New York City to design a comprehensive course in biotechnology.

Biotechnology is a fast growing, high-paying field with many different employment opportunities. It utilizes modern technology to harness both the cellular and molecular processes that give rise to various biological functions. This allows advances and improvements on current research by inventing new methods to improve human lives and the health of the planet.

“The greatest aspect of biotechnology is the hands-on work,” said Kristina Anello, senior. “I find it so much easier to understand the concepts and physically display my understanding through the various experiments and continuous practice rather than reading about them in a textbook.”

“The lab work is just what one would do in college,” said Elizabeth Roach, senior. “Students are shown that they must be mature enough to handle the course, and we are shown respect and are treated as adults. This course is more than rewarding, and it’s amazingly interesting for anyone interested in the sciences.”

“As I head on to college, I have already decided my majors: an integration on biotechnology major with a pre-med major,” said Nicole Negron, senior. “Taking biotechnology was one of the smartest moves of my life since I have received an early start towards my dream. It has shown me aspects of biotechnology that will help me throughout college and life as I work more towards my goal.”

“We’re all ready to work in a lab,” said Aman Singh, senior. “This course makes us feel more independent and like adults. Aside from the fact that this is all college-level material, it’s more or less how we want to handle the course. Our input matters, and we are able to be reasonable with our teacher and it’s always worked.”

“I chose biotechnology because there’s no other class like it, and a career in the field could be lucrative,” said Brendan Morgenstern, senior. “Biotech has given me the opportunity to view both the positive and negative sides of modern biotechnology, such as the GMO topic. It was not just a one-sided course. That is what I love about it. And I love the material. Learning about what makes a food organic is unique, and experiencing it hands-on is amazing and fascinating.”