By Thomas Sellers Jr.
Last week in the Science Labs of Millington Central High School, life truly came to life for the students.
On April 21 and 22, Sheila Pugh’s students had an opportunity to grab kits that allowed them to build DNA structures and make their lessons come to fruition. That was made possible by a grant from Bartlett couple Tillman and Euna Bunch.
The DNA models came in earlier in the week and Pugh, the Honor’s Biology, Biology and Environmental Science teacher, invited Mr. and Mrs. Bunch out to her classroom to see the models be built.
“The idea is for the students to be able to visual representation of DNA,” Tillman said. “We believe that individuals need to help other individuals instead of the government.
“Better and more effective to have giving on a personal level, he added, “donations instead of waiting on the government to respond.”
For years the Bunch family had donated to area universities and ventured off to secondary education this year.
“It’s the first time we’ve given money to a high school,” he noted. “We’ve made overtures to other schools but the first time at Millington.”
Pugh, who often brings science to life with presentations and special guests, reached out to the Bunch family months ago in hopes of retaining DNA models.
The DNA structures are a version from DNA to protein synthesis models and the kits fit the description. Pugh’s students helped assembled the models from the 8 kits.
“We received a very generous grant for my classroom,” Pugh said. “Genetics is a huge part of general biology. It’s hard to grasp because its microscopic and you can’t see it. And it’s so much of it. It’s so hard to teach it out of book, or take notes or watch a film on it.
“Hands on always helps especially when these kids are always around computers all day, every day,” she added. “Their faces are always in front of their cell phones. They need to get away from an LED screen for a moment so their brains can solve a problem — instead of Google.”
Tillman was pleased to see his donation being used by the students. As he and his wife toured the laboratory, the classroom full of girls transformed the words of Pugh and instructions in the packets to a DNA model.
We’re very interested in it and hopefully spark them to be doctors and be motivated to want to learn,” Tillman said. “We feel like donating the money and putting in Sheila hands was a efficient way to use the money. She’s a teacher of the year, very knowledgeable and willing to learn herself.”
Pugh said she is grateful for people like the Bunch family who address needs and literally invest into the future.
“A thank you, it was very unexpected,” she said. “I was caught off guard. I wasn’t expecting this and this direction to go in. I was very humbled. It’s a nice blessing giving us a different avenue to go down in school.
“We’re able to experience the same thing from different people in the community,” Pugh concluded. “Great the children witnessed somebody caring about their education and success. They took a chance on us and it worked. And it’s a great thing.”
