Bellamy REACH students come to their own conclusions

Date: 6/1/2010

June 2, 2010.

By G. Michael Dobbs

Managing Editor



CHICOPEE -- Sara Dymek pointed to three plastic containers sitting in front of a McDonald's Angus Burger. The containers have the amount of fat and salt each burger contains.

Dymek and her partner Dianelise Acevedo were among the REACH independent study students who exhibited the findings of their work at the annual REACH exhibit Thursday night at the Bellamy Middle School. The REACH program teaches research and problem solving skills.

The topics presented by the sixth, seventh and eighth graders ranged from ancient Egypt to video games to Anne Frank.

Dymek and Acevedo's project was on the "negative effects of fast food," and Acevedo said she was interested in the topic because her family eats a lot of the quick cuisine.

The two students said they no longer want to eat it after they have done their research.

"Never again," Acevedo said.

Across the room Sebastian Palacio-Ramirez had also looked a food topic, the Mars Company. What drew him to study a candy company?

"I like candy," he said.

His research showed him the company produced more than just Snickers and M&Ms.

"It's not just a candy company, it's much more," he said.

He noted that Mars owns Wrigley Gum and a subsidiary that develops nutritional additives to put into other products.

Krystian Jurkowski and Brian Turnbull teamed up to cover the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. Turnbull said the subject intrigued him when he saw a magazine article on it in his social studies class.

With a laptop computer displaying an annotated map, Jurkowski said the nuclear accident affected the lives of many people.

Their research caused both boys to have a negative opinion about nuclear power.

"The risks outweigh the pros," Turnbull said.

The annual display also noted the 25th anniversary of Dr. Irene Czerwiec heading the REACH program at Bellamy. Students and school officials surprised her with an announcement and a bouquet as well as a large decorated box with a sign that read "Always thinking outside the box."

"I wasn't expecting any recognition -- not at all, not at all," she said.

A stream of current and former students came by to congratulate her.

She said she is rewarded by "knowing it's made a difference in their lives."

"That's all a teacher can ask for," she added.