08 - Faith, Curiosity, and the Future of Science

In this episode of Rooted & Rising, Andrew McDonald sits down with Mrs. Jenni Sogaard and her senior daughter for a conversation that bridges classroom innovation, student experience, and the future of learning.

Jenni shares what’s new and exciting in her science classroom, the importance of science education in a Catholic school, and her enthusiasm for the upcoming renovation of science labs designed for 21st‑century learning. Brynn, her daughter, offers a student’s perspective, reflecting on her science education over four years and what it has meant to learn in an environment that encourages curiosity, critical thinking, and wonder.

Together, they explore how faith and science work hand‑in‑hand, how learning spaces matter, and why investing in both people and places is essential for forming students prepared to engage thoughtfully with the world.

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:04

Welcome to Rooted in Rising, a short podcast where we highlight the people, programs, and moments that make Billings Catholic Schools special. Each episode, we'll spend just a few minutes sharing one story from across our system. Something worth noticing, worth celebrating, and worth building on. I'm Andrew McDonald, and I'm glad you're here. All right, welcome to today's episode. Super excited to be joined by a couple folks from our high school. And I'm going to turn it over to Jenny. I'm going to have you introduce yourself first.

SPEAKER_01 0:37

All right. My name is Jenny Sogard, and I teach a variety of classes here. I teach AP biology, AP chemistry, biology, chemistry, and integrated chemistry and physics.

SPEAKER_02 0:48

So we keep you busy.

SPEAKER_01 0:49

Yes, very.

SPEAKER_02 0:50

A little bit. And then who do we have with us?

SPEAKER_00 0:52

Hi, my name is Brynn Sogard. I am her daughter, and I am a senior this year.

SPEAKER_02 0:57

That's fantastic. So I'm really excited about the show because there's a lot to cover with science. But then we also get this really unique kind of relationship between the two of you. And then I get to hear from you about a student experience, but then also about some different developments that we have going on in our our science department as well. So to kind of just open it up, like what do you think about your classroom right now? Like what excites you the most about what student students are learning and doing?

SPEAKER_01 1:23

We were able to purchase some great science equipment with some funding. And so these You're totally fine. I'm not good at this.

SPEAKER_02 1:37

Laughter when we talk is actually really beneficial.

SPEAKER_01 1:40

All right. So they're called vernier lab equipment, and they all Bluetooth to some lab iPads that we have. So there are temperature probes, pH probes, gas pressure sensors. And so students can watch graphs of these changes that are occurring in the lab, whether it's a phase change, water freezing, water melting, or whether it's a pH change during a titration, and this all happens on the screen. The graph is created for them.

SPEAKER_02 2:07

Like in real time. In real time.

SPEAKER_01 2:09

So as they're yep, as they're doing the experiment, they can see what's happening. And so that immediate feedback and understanding is great for them.

SPEAKER_02 2:18

Yeah, that's definitely something I did not have in high school science. So what about for you? What are what are you taking right now? Are you in a science class currently?

SPEAKER_00 2:25

Um I'm in AP bio.

SPEAKER_02 2:26

Okay, and what's what's fun about that class right now?

SPEAKER_00 2:28

A lot of it's hands-on. So we were right now we're reviewing for the AP test, but a lot of the test involves experimental design. So it's very useful to have those hands-on experiences in the lab because the test will test you on that. So it's nice to have that confidence in your ability.

SPEAKER_02 2:45

For sure. And getting to actually kind of manipulate things, put your hands on what you're you're doing, right? Like that's great preparation for what comes next. So, Jenny, back to you a little bit. Like, why is it so important for students to experience hands-on learning, particularly when it comes to science?

SPEAKER_01 3:02

So much of science is on the microscopic level that we can't see, especially in chemistry, and even AP bio, some of it is we don't see the reactions happening, but we see the results of them. And so to help kids really understand what's happening on a level that they can't see, they need to be able to see the actual reaction that happens, or else they aren't gonna understand it.

SPEAKER_02 3:30

Yeah. And and has that been something that you kind of, I mean, I know we're talking chemistry there, but now if we move over to like biology, is that something that you're you've experienced as well, Brent?

SPEAKER_00 3:40

Yes, I'm a very visual learner growing up. She homeschooled me for years, so she knows I am very bad at trying to picture stuff in my head. So having stuff in front of me for the experiment really helped me to realize what the problem was asking me to do. So I was better at chemistry than before.

SPEAKER_02 3:56

Yeah, yeah. No, that makes a lot of sense. So we're also teaching science in a in a pretty unique context, right? Like this is a Catholic school, and and there there are a lot of people that would say that like faith and reason or faith and science are are at odds. And I'd be really curious as to to both of your takes on on that statement, right? Are faith and science really at odds? Are faith and reason on polar opposites?

SPEAKER_01 4:20

Absolutely not. Science for me is one of the biggest contributors to my faith. And I tell the kids, you change one tiny proton in an atom, and it changes what that atom is. So, for example, if you go from carbon, which has four protons, and you just add a couple more, you end up at oxygen. And it's just that tiny little proton totally changes every element that's on Earth, and then everything that's on Earth is made from just those elements. It's it it can't be an accident. The design is just too specific.

SPEAKER_00 5:00

And that's especially relevant in biology. One of our main topics is cellular respiration and photosynthesis, and with how like intricate those processes are, there's no way that just happened by chance. There has to be like a divine creator behind it, and we believe that person is God. So it's just really cool to see it from a scientific perspective because they actually do correlate and can support each other. So having a science class based in a faith community is really nice because we can have those conversations.

SPEAKER_02 5:27

Yeah, it's really I I think it's one of the the neatest things about science, right? And when you think about science and faith, right, like they can be mutually they they mutually reinforce each other. And I think some of the best proofs of of God, right, are are scientifically based, right? There's a lot of people that have written books on that, which I'm kind of a nerd, so I lean into a lot of those things. And I I love that stuff. So I'm glad to hear that that's how it is kind of being understood in in class, and it is there's there's freedom in being able to teach that way. So what do you hope that students really walk away with? What do they what do you want them to understand about curiosity, truth, and and wonder through classes or through science? It's a big question, isn't it? I know I love that question.

SPEAKER_01 6:14

I think we really want them to have a sense of like scientific literacy, and so not every student is going to go into a scientific profession, but that when they see science, that it can support their faith and their belief in God, and they can say, Oh, I remember from high school when we did this, and I know there's a God, and I know this is true because I learned all of these things, so that wherever they go, science is really lifting up their faith and not tearing it down.

SPEAKER_02 6:50

Yeah, yeah. And then Bryn, you've been here for four years, right? So, like what has your experience with the sciences at Central been like over the course of your time in high school?

SPEAKER_00 7:01

I've always loved science. I'm going to MSU for nursing next year. So science has always been something that I find fascinating. I love learning about it. Freshman year, I had honors biology with Mrs. Cunningham. Sophomore year, I had honors chemistry with my mom. And then I had my mom again for AP chemistry, and then my mom again this year for AP bio. And it is an interesting um relationship in the classroom because she doesn't put too much pressure on me, but I know she's there watching over me and she can help me at home too. So it's really nice and it's a nice support to have a support system. She's helped guide my way through finding nursing, and science is just kind of it helped grow my passion for learning about this kind of stuff.

SPEAKER_02 7:42

Was there like a particular class or or lab or moment that you can recall and say, like, that was a that was awesome?

SPEAKER_00 7:50

When we took the AP chem test, because I personally I did not do very well in the class, you can ask her. I struggled my way through it a little bit.

SPEAKER_01 8:00

What did you get?

SPEAKER_00 8:01

I got a good grade. It just didn't click to me like some other kids did, but I still ended up getting a three on the AP exam, which was a pretty great accomplishment. My mom was really proud of me. It was just showing that I had the capabilities through teaching and experiences in the lab that I could do a career in nursing, even if that subject was hard for me.

SPEAKER_02 8:23

Yeah. Yeah, that's awesome. And then, Jenny, what about you? Like what's a what's a lab or something that is that you treasure that you look forward to every year?

SPEAKER_01 8:31

Actually, we just added a new one this year, and it's a bacterial transformation lab. And so we have bacteria that needs sugar to grow, and so we put it on an auger plate, and we do An auger plate.

SPEAKER_02 8:45

An auger plate. What is an auger plate?

SPEAKER_01 8:47

It's just a growth medium for the bacteria.

SPEAKER_02 8:50

I love that it's been so long since I've been in science class. A growth medium. How great is that?

unknown 8:55

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 8:55

And so we put the bacteria on the and we let it grow. And then in a different one, you treat this bacteria with a plasmid. And a plasmid is just a little piece of DNA, and they they have actually inserted a gene into this that allows the bacteria to glow. And so then we insert the plasmid into the bacteria, and then you plate that one, and the bacteria grows and it glows.

SPEAKER_02 9:22

That's incredible. And so all this is done in our current science lab.

SPEAKER_01 9:26

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 9:27

And this is where we get to really have fun because for Mayfair this year, one of the things that we're really looking at is a renovation to our learning spaces. Going through this master facilities plan, you know, doubling down on the sciences, health sciences has been a big part of that plan. Renovating our learning spaces to make sure that students have opportunities to engage in 21st century learning here at Central has been really important. It's been a long time since we've updated those labs. And so, as a teacher and a student that have spent a lot of time in those labs and are already doing amazing things like this, what is this renovation? What are you most excited for?

SPEAKER_01 10:05

I'm excited to put some of the preparation back in the hands of the students. Right now, with our current lab space, if I'm running three different labs that day, I have them all set up in trays. I rotate them in and out. I have all the glassware ready, all of the instruments ready. And so I have found sometimes students don't really learn the names of those things very well because it's just all there for them. And so, in the new setup, I'll be able to keep those materials at each lab station within my classroom. And so students will be able to get them all out and set them all up. And I think that will also help them with the understanding of what they're going to be doing in the lab a little bit better.

SPEAKER_02 10:45

Yeah. And so, uh, Bryn, then for you as a senior, you're you're not going to get to experience learning in these labs. But but what would you imagine is going to change for students with a with a renovation like this?

SPEAKER_00 10:56

I feel like they'll enjoy labs more. Right now it can get very crowded. It can get very stressful when you're trying to do something. Some of the tables move when you're trying to pour toxic stuff, which is not a good thing.

SPEAKER_02 11:09

Sounds very bad.

SPEAKER_00 11:10

Yes, not good. I've dropped several glassware in that lab and broken some stuff. It'll be nice for, I think students will be more confident in their ability to do the experiment, like my mom was saying. They'll realize they have the capabilities, they'll be able to take it back into their own hands. So for I have two younger brothers, they'll get to use this lab, and I think they'll really love it. They both are leaning towards healthcare as well. So I think they'll enjoy it.

SPEAKER_02 11:36

And then how do you think that those updated spaces will change how students interact or or learn? What what new opportunities will they have with a change in just the setup and structure of the lab beyond just getting to know the equipment better?

SPEAKER_01 11:49

I like the design of the lab tables because they can be around them together more. Our lab currently is really crowded. And so it's not as cohesive for that communication between students.

SPEAKER_02 12:06

Which is a huge like 21st century skill, right? This idea of collaboration and working together in teams.

SPEAKER_01 12:11

Absolutely. And so I think I like that there will be four students at each lab station. And so you can really mix up who works with who so that everybody gets the chance to work with every other student in the classroom. Right now, it's it's a little bit harder to do that just because of the constraints of the size that we have right now.

SPEAKER_02 12:35

Yeah. And I I am a firm believer that that environment has a pretty significant impact on learning. And so with a change in environment, what do you hope to see for future students in that that lab or for you know the labs that you're going to roll out for folks next year?

SPEAKER_01 12:55

I think I would like to like I want them to be excited about it. Like you see a new well-designed space and maybe a kid that was struggling in a science class at one point in time and thought, oh, I'm not good, just not good at science. And so I don't want to do anything that has to do with science. And maybe this will ignite something within them that makes them excited to want to learn it and totally change how they view science and science education.

SPEAKER_00 13:22

Yeah, when I saw the design, I was instantly very jealous that I wouldn't get to use it. So I think students will be very excited to learn in this type of classroom. I think it really will bring more people to realize that even if science isn't their main passion, that they can still have fun learning.

SPEAKER_02 13:39

Yeah, can you give me a behind the scenes sneak peek to how's your mom reacted to news that we're going to renovate this lab?

SPEAKER_00 13:47

Oh, she's really excited. She like came home and was like, we're getting a new lab. She wanted to show me all the designs. She was so happy. Same with Mrs. Cunningham. They're always like talking about it and like showing diagrams to each other. So they're really thrilled about it.

SPEAKER_02 14:01

It is, it has truly been such a fun process to engage the department in talking about the future of sciences here. Like, how how do we want this to work? What do we want it to look like? And you guys have been so incredible saying, like, this is this is our this is our dream. Here's how we would imagine it. And and just the excitement that you have, I think it's impossible for that not to be contagious. If you put really excited teachers in a classroom and then in a new good-looking classroom like that, it is impossible for that not to pass to students. So thank you for your engagement in that process and for being willing to do all of that. Last question that I've got for both of you, and we're gonna get two different perspectives on this. What would you, what advice would you give to students entering science in the future and entering science classes? I'm gonna start with you, Brent.

SPEAKER_00 14:48

Uh, you can do it. It just might be hard, but you really can, and the teachers are there to support you. It might take extra time and commitment, but they are always there waiting for you to help you. So it might not be the easiest for you. You might struggle, but you'll you'll realize that science, even if it's not ease comes easily to you, it is it can still be your passion and you can still succeed in it.

SPEAKER_01 15:10

I'd say be willing to fail.

SPEAKER_02 15:12

That's awesome advice.

SPEAKER_01 15:14

Be willing to make mistakes because that is where the biggest learning usually happens. And if you're willing to make mistakes, then it it makes science an amazing, amazing subject to learn.

SPEAKER_02 15:28

Yeah. I think that is generally good advice, right? Like that doesn't just apply to science. I think that that applies to a lot of life. Be willing to take the risk and make that mistake as long as you can learn something from it. Thank you both for your time today. Thank you for spending some time with our audience. Can't thank you enough for everything that you do for our students, Jenny. It's absolutely incredible. Great science department. Brynn, I'm so excited to see what happens with you next. I'm glad that you're doing the nursing piece, and I know that you'll be back around our building. Maybe we can check in with you next year, uh, halfway through like freshman year and get a get a recap on how you're doing. Um thank you guys for everything. Really appreciate it.

SPEAKER_00 16:05

Thank you.

SPEAKER_02 16:10

Thanks for listening to Rooted in Rising. We'll be back next week with another story worth celebrating.