When Marsha O’Hare, a science instructor at Chatham County Schools’ ONE Academy, began the school year, her classroom was far from complete. “We were lucky to hire Mrs. O’Hare,” said ONE Academy’s principal, Melody Dark. “She is an experienced science teacher who understands science is best learned through engaging, hands-on lessons, and she was eager to gather resources and equipment to fulfill her vision of an ideal learning lab.”
After seeking out used materials and purchasing many supplies using her own money, O’Hare decided to reach out to the Chatham Education Foundation to see if they could help her find a partnership with medical or pharmaceutical professionals willing to donate some used equipment. Fortunately, for O’Hare, CEF was able to do even better. Instead of a partnership, CEF found Doug and Joan Shier who donated $5,000 to equip the science classroom at ONE Academy.
Thanks to Doug, a retired math professor from Clemson, and Joan, ONE Academy’s science classroom now has microscopes, beakers, test tubes, safety goggles/aprons, bacteria models, an eye wash station, locked chemical storage, snap electrical circuit kits, wall visuals/signage and more—all the things necessary to complete standards-aligned science labs and activities. “The Shiers’ gift was life changing,” O’Hare said.
With all of the new resources O’Hare said her sixth-grade students have created a working brick model of the sun-Earth-moon system and will soon use the new dissection tools to examine external and internal flower anatomy. She said the microscopes have been a big hit with biology students who used them to explore microorganisms and cells. The snap circuit kits have been popular with physical science and middle school students exploring electricity.
In March of this year, shortly after most of the resources for the lab had been purchased and were starting to be put to use, the Shiers got to visit ONE Academy and see firsthand how their donation is being used to engage students. After getting a tour of the school and an overview of the academy’s mission from Melody Dark, the Shiers visited the science classroom. While they were there, students were taking swabs from their cheeks and examining DNA under the microscopes—something totally impossible before their gift. Another student, who typically struggles in class, was using a plastic model of an organism to answer questions on a worksheet and was focused and engaged in a way the principal had never seen before.
“We were so impressed with the respect and freedom afforded to the ONE Academy scholars by their innovative principal … and by the most enthusiastic and supportive science instructor Marsha O’Hare,” Doug said. “The intent of our gift was to provide an enhanced experience for the scholars’ exploration of the sciences. The small amount of light we could provide was magnified and expanded beyond our expectations by the inclusive and exciting explorations Mrs. O’Hare has created.”
ONE Academy, which opened in 2023, is Chatham County Schools’ newest school and serves middle and high school students. This nontraditional school accommodates the needs and goals of the student by offering small class sizes, flexible learning spaces, and personalized student schedules to ensure every student has a chance to earn their high school diploma. Located in Siler City in the Chatham Center for Innovation, ONE Academy has around 60 students.