IN THE CLASSROOM:

It takes an exceptional educational experience to get students to leave with a complete example of who they are. But that’s just what happened after the DNA lab experiment at Newport Harbor High School.

Part of a fundraiser for the school, the DNA lab gave participants the opportunity to develop a visible form of their DNA and put it into a small glass container to keep. It only took 45 minutes to create a pocket version of themselves, while learning genetic science in a hands-on, exciting way.

“As a teacher it’s the one thing you hope to do,” said Newport Harbor biology teacher Scott Smith. “If you’re excited about it, they are. It’s infectious.”

The experiment started in the mouth of its participants. Each had to gnaw on their cheeks a bit to break off the cells needed to produce the DNA. They removed the particles by swishing water in their mouths and then putting it into test tubes.

That is when the science starts. An enzyme is then used to break down proteins that glue DNA molecules together. A solution is then used to rip open the unglued molecules to expand the DNA into a visible form.

Cold alcohol is then added to preserve the visible DNA, which can last for years in a lab.

“This is stuff we didn’t do when we were in school,” said Smith. “Biology, more than any other subject, is rapidly changing.”

The experiments have been going on in science classes at Newport Harbor for about four years, but this is the first time they have been offered to the public.

Each time they conduct an experiment it costs about $100 for a group of 30, but the public experiments cost $50 per person.

Smith and chemistry teacher John Brazelton discovered the experiment through a company called Bio-Rad and will continue to offer it to the public as long as there is interest.

“It’s cool,” said Kiori Snyder, 14, a freshman in Smith’s class and a volunteer at the lab. “When you think of DNA, it’s really tiny, but like Mr. Smith says, it is actually really long.”

Besides getting the children more involved in science, the experiment also helped enlighten parents, like Don Ronaldson, a public defender in Orange County who attended the experiment class with his son.

“I am excited for my son, seeing the quality of the classroom and teachers,” he said.

DANIEL TEDFORD may be reached at (714) 966-4632 or at [email protected].