Lab Safety: Goggle

Sanitizering Cabinet

Center High School

Center, CO

Requested Amount: $900

Donation Amount: $100

Safety in the Lab! The students and I love lab day, but there is a burden to provide a safe learning environment for 95 students. A UV Sanitizer cabinet would alleviate our goggle sanitizing problem! Science education that involves experiential learning through labs promotes engagement and equity, particularly for culturally diverse students (Tanner, 2017). I try as a teacher to offer as many labs as possible, but lab days are intensive. Currently after a lab, I sanitize 15-25 goggles by hand. This cabinet would help alleviate the worry of if I sanitize the goggles fully and save time in the lab clean-up process. This cabinet uses a UV-C Germicidal bulb to effectively clean goggles in between uses. This would allow me more time directly working with my students at the same time it ensures the safety of our students who use our equipment. It allows me to attend to the other needs of lab day without being stuck at a sink cleaning for significant parts of the day.

Our district population is about 88% of Latinx, 2% Native American, and 2% Black. In addition, 92% qualify for free and reduced lunch in that their families meet or are below the federal poverty guidelines. About 20.9% of students are homeless and migrant students about 9%. According to Kids Count Colorado, 29% of the county children's live in poverty, second highest in the state. Our students represent those who are traditionally furthest from opportunity. In addition, the rural nature of our community means that there is a lack of opportunities for students outside of the school, particularly in the areas of science where equipment can be expensive and we do not have community professionals who can support this. In our school, we provide science education both during the day and out-of-school time to support our students, which this grant will help support.