Important Dates – Includes
Dinner Info!
In the beginning….
Advanced placement physics at Marc Garneau Collegiate has been operated for seven years. In the spring of 1999 changes were being made to the Ontario education system which directly affected university bound science students. The high school program was being reduced by 20% with the elimination of grade 13. At the same time the TOPS program was getting a new leader in Michael McMaster. Both of us were concerned at the lack of rigour in the OAC curriculum either in calculus, algebra or physics and were mortified that the new courses were increasing this academic gulf. In March of 1999 we received permission to being the AP calculus course the next September and this course was awarded to Michael McMaster.
I was glad that this program had been given a foothold in our school and other developments followed with Mr. Hussey offering an AP English program. However, I wanted to be part of this as well, but when I looked at the AP Physics B and C programs I felt that the C program was the one that would be most useful for the type of student who would be most interested in enrichment in physics and second that the curriculum in the C course was so demanding that I was not sure that it would be fair to students, especially in their final year of study with grades being so important for university acceptances. However, about a month later Dagmara Biskupska then a grade 12 student approached me and asked if an AP physics preparation would be possible. I decided that we could start this as a physics “club” with lectures before school three days a week from September to April. In the regular class, I would attempt to cover the mechanics aspects that were in the AP syllabus. The idea that this would become a program was still only a dream. Although it seems the students who attended these lectures both in 1999/2000 and in 2000/2001 benefited from the experience I realized that only when I could test them and expect laboratory work from them would I be able to really expect them to internalize this material. That opportunity came in the fall of 2001 when 18 students signed up to take the inaugural AP Physics C real course at Marc Garneau. I spent most of my summer getting ready for them and I suspect they will never realize just how much I worried about them with all the pressure this program gives people. They were the test case and this group of 18 (later 19) will always be special to me. Winning awards is one thing, but I will tell you that by the end of September of 2001, I realized the incredible (I mean it) sense of purpose and dedication that these students had to their work. It moved me and I tried my best to be helpful to them at all times. These students did not have the benefit of calculus study in advance, iBooks and numerous probes, but rather some CBL’s from the Algonquin Trip and their calculators and two partially working sonic rangers. They did not complain; they simply worked and I will never forget them.
Class 102
In class 102 there were three labs, more differential equations, not much QM (still OAC), 3 hour final examinations and the project was a seismometer. This class was run out of room 325. This year also saw the remarkable work of Valeri Dessiatnichenko who at one time was almost 10% (AP%) ahead of everyone. His work was practically perfect until Gravity II. His performance is still legendary amongst AP students. Remember class 102 did not have ANY calculus prior to APC which makes Val’s work even more impressive. We also met Puneet Khandari in the middle of the course, like Val he is a real gentleman and had come to our program with an exceptional preparation and was a good competitor for Val. Due to the special circumstances both Val and Puneet were given the summa cum laude distinction for this year.
Class 203
The next fall in class 203, I had 24 students (20 grade 12’s and 4 OAC’s) and as a percentage of available talent this was the most able group so far. Consider recent years with almost 40 students in APC. For class 203 in the double cohort year this would be that same as an enrolment of 80 students and then taking the marks of only the best 24. No wonder the marks were higher across the board. However, the fact that our enrolment has been growing is indicative that many students feel some confidence about the program. I am glad for that as well. Class 203 had to build metal detectors and did much more work in celestial mechanics than any other class. No QM yet and I am not sure if there was a fourth lab, I do not think so.
Class 304
Class 304 had almost 30 students and was taught in room 337. This was the first year where we studied a fourth lab, did less CM and built an electric motor with an RPM detector. The device produced by Ly et al was powered up with a larger battery and probably reached 7 or 8 thousand RPM. The rotor coils were effectively invisible. If that puppy had ever left its mountings, the bowling alley, room 325 and 327 would all have been one large room open to the galleria! The prospectus made its introduction this year. Over 10 alumni showed up for the photo day in December. Students from class 304 nominated me for the Sigma Xi Science teacher of the year award and due to their generous hyperbole of my efforts I was recognized with this distinction at the Toronto Science Fair in the spring of 2004. I must admit that with all the other things I have to do, I got very behind on my marking and yet these students still chose to recognize me in this manner was a measure of their patience. The lecture series was markedly reduced due to grade 11 science fair work.
Class 405
Class 405 saw a reduction in the amount of Differential Equations and CM. It was also the first year that the AP material was taught right to the end of the course. A far more detailed QM presentation on was effected and finished with the prediction of the shapes of orbitals in the Hydrogen atom. A fifth lab on QM was rumoured, but did not materialize. The project was an intercom, which then had to be rearranged to be a photophone. This year had 12 students reach the 100% plateau with some excellent marks on the final exam, but the highest raw marks of 117% (corrected to the 70/30) of Val and Puneet are still the record.
We now are near the end of class 506. It seems only a little while ago that we had our 6 hour June lecture. The valedictorian competition is still a bit open and we shall see who wins. This year’s project was a return to the seismometer, but with the requirement that the display system/device be able to infer the amount of energy being received by the device in a manner that can be converted to mks units.
Award Winners
Class 102
Summa cum laude: Puneet Khandari
Summa cum laude studium primus: Valeri Dessiatnichenko
Summa cum laude femina Huma Shabbir
Class 102 Projects – (no images sorry L)
Class 203
Summa cum laude: Elena Qirjazi
Summa cum laude homina: Arjun Bharioke
Studium primus: Maqsood Ul Hassan
Class 2003 Graduation (some)
Class 304
Summa cum laude: Daniel Ly
Summa cum laude femina: Chen Di Liao
Studium Primus: Zain Aleem
Magna Proficiere: Emmanulle Chan, Gabe Grant
Peritus Experiri: Daniel Ly, Najmus Ibrahim, Paul Jaworsky, Andrew Kikuta
Creative award (to be formally named): Scott Calway
Class 405
Summa cum laude: Lulu Ye
Summa cum laude homina: Parth Dave
Magna proficiere: Bernice Chan
Stadium primus: Nabil Alidina
Peritus experiri: Harish Kukreja, Karthik Ramanathan, Evegeny Ternovsky, Rob Shek
Maximus curiosis: Victor Wolleson
Class 405 Projects – (no images sorry L)
AP Physics Dinner
This dinner first occurred in 2002 with four attendees at the Bloor St. Swiss Chalet. From there the tradition has grown considerably. This event is open to any graduate of the course and their significant other(s). However, it is NOT open to students who just finished the course. They can only attend the first dinner that occurs after they graduate from high school.
The second event was held in the graduate student residence and we had about 19 people and then we went back to Swiss Chalet in the basement and there was about 30 people. Last year we were in the basement there again and we must have had almost 50 people. With another 36 eligible graduates this year the numbers will hopefully grow again. The event begins around 5 pm and usually goes until around 10 pm. It occurs on a Friday evening in mid-February timed to coincide with most Reading Weeks. Everyone pays for their own dinner and we simply have 4 or 5 special hours swapping sea stories and reconnecting. It is a lot of fun and I do hope as many of you as possible will be able to attend.
Some Memories
As of this writing it is the spring of 2006 and my first two before school classes are largely graduated from their bachelor degrees and getting out in the world. My first “real” class will graduate this spring. I cannot tell you the hopes for success that I have for all of you. To a person working with this group has been the most remarkable professional experience of my life. I realize that most of you are smarter than I am and in 10 years the things that you will be doing will not only me but yourselves as well. Just remember I want as many cool plant tours as are possible to inspire another generation of young to people to astronomical heights in physics!
Thank you for the trust, it really has been a privilege,
Henri van Bemmel