Science Department Takes on New Life with APES

Quinn Losse, Staff Writer

As Prep rounds up this school year at Seattle Prep, it is time to start thinking ahead to what the next year holds for students. Kids have been looking forward to ditching their teachers and their not-so-favorite classes, but many do not know what will be different next year. Although Mr. Hardy and Mr. Niggemeyer will be retiring from being full-time Prep teachers, which will completely change Prep’s dynamic, the school has the addition of a new class to look forward to.

This new class is called AP Environmental Science (APES) and it will be taught by Ms. Tordillos. It will be offered for incoming Juniors and Seniors, and it is not anything like the science classes that are currently available for upperclassmen. Tordillos believes that students should take APES “if they are interested in learning more about the interrelationships of the natural world.”

APES will cover a variety of interesting topics throughout the course, which include pollution, land & water use, and global change. “Students can expect fun labs, and content that delves into topics beyond science to include cultural and social context,” stated Tordillos.

Tordillos is not only the teacher of this rising class, but she has also been the brains behind everything that has gone into it. Her interest started to become a reality as she went to an AP Institute last summer and began preparing the material starting in the fall of this past year. Tordillos said, “I have been hoping to teach this course for some time. I know it will be a lot of work the first year, but I also know that it will be worth it.”

Considering all the time and effort that has been put forth by Tordillos, it is almost guaranteed that this class will be a hit starting this fall.