Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
A year in the life of a brilliant science teacher and his award-winning students, who are trying to change the world--all while surviving high school. At Greenwich High School, Andy Bramante's science classroom is equal parts elite research lab, student counseling office, and teenage hangout spot. The former corporate scientist helms one of the most ambitious research classes in the country: his students have won Google's Science Fair, invented and patented a fast and inexpensive test for Ebola, and been invited to the Nobel Prize ceremony in Stockholm. They're also teenagers navigating relationships, triumphs and setbacks both academic and personal, and the stressful task of applying for college. To name just a few, there's William, the multi-faceted prodigy who's so driven he aces AP exams for classes he didn't even take; Ethan, who essentially outgrows high school in his junior year and founds his own company to commercialize a project he started in the class; and Sophia, a Lyme disease victim whose ambitious work is dedicated to curing her own debilitating ailment.
In this intimate look at a year in the life of "Mr. B" and his students, journalist Heather Won Tesoriero embeds in their unconventional classroom as they brainstorm and bring to life their professional-level projects. Over the course of the 2016-17 school year, we experience the thrill of discovery, the heartache of failed experiments, the ups and downs of the science-fair circuit, and perhaps the highest of all highs: a "yes" from Harvard.
Synopsis
A year in the life of a visionary science teacher and his award-winning students, who are trying to change the world--all while surviving high school. Former corporate scientist Andy Bramante--who abandoned his successful business career because he was inspired to teach public high school--helms one of the most remarkable classrooms in America. Andy's students have taken their work all over their home state of Connecticut and well beyond--D.C., Houston, Los Angeles--cleaning up at the nation's most prestigious science competitions. They have won Google's Science Fair, invented and patented a fast and inexpensive test for Ebola, and been invited to the Nobel Prize ceremony in Stockholm. These kids come from all kinds of backgrounds, united by a passion for knowledge. As extraordinary as they are, they're also just teenagers navigating relationships, triumphs, and setbacks both academic and personal, and the stressful task of applying for college. To name just a few, there's William, the multi-faceted prodigy who's so driven he aces AP exams for classes he didn't even take; Ethan, who essentially outgrows high school in his junior year and founds his own company to commercialize a project he started in the class; and Sophia, a Lyme disease victim whose ambitious work is dedicated to curing her own debilitating ailment.
In this intimate look at a year in the life of "Mr. B" and his students, journalist Heather Won Tesoriero embeds in their unconventional classroom as they brainstorm and bring to life their professional-level projects. Over the course of the 2016-17 school year--which turns out to be the most decorated year ever for Andy and his kids--we experience the thrill of discovery, the heartache of failed experiments, the ups and downs of the science-fair circuit, and perhaps the highest of all highs: a "yes" from Harvard. In the end, The Class is a heartfelt testament to the power of a great teacher to help kids realize their unlimited potential.
Synopsis
An unforgettable year in the life of a visionary high school science teacher and his award-winning students, as they try to get into college, land a date for the prom . . . and possibly change the world Andy Bramante left his successful career as a corporate scientist to teach public high school--and now helms one of the most remarkable classrooms in America. Bramante's unconventional class at Connecticut's prestigious yet diverse Greenwich High School has no curriculum, tests, textbooks, or lectures, and is equal parts elite research lab, student counseling office, and teenage hangout spot. United by a passion to learn, Mr. B.'s band of whiz kids set out every year to conquer the brutally competitive science fair circuit. They have won the top prize at the Google Science Fair, made discoveries that eluded scientists three times their age, and been invited to the Nobel Prize ceremony in Stockholm.
A former Emmy-winning producer for CBS News, Heather Won Tesoriero embeds in this dynamic class to bring Andy and his gifted, all-too-human kids to life--including William, a prodigy so driven that he's trying to invent diagnostics for artery blockage and Alzheimer's (but can't quite figure out how to order a bagel); Ethan, who essentially outgrows high school in his junior year and founds his own company to commercialize a discovery he made in the class; Sophia, a Lyme disease patient whose ambitious work is dedicated to curing her own debilitating ailment; Romano, a football player who hangs up his helmet to pursue his secret science expertise and develop a "smart" liquid bandage; and Olivia, whose invention of a fast test for Ebola brought her science fair fame and an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
We experience the thrill of discovery, the heartbreak of failed endeavors, and perhaps the ultimate high: a yes from Harvard. Moving, funny, and utterly engrossing, The Class is a superb account of hard work and high spirits, a stirring tribute to how essential science is in our schools and our lives, and a heartfelt testament to the power of a great teacher to help kids realize their unlimited potential.