In 2015 when she began teaching science classes at Chinook High School, Jeri Wood noticed a disturbing trend-students were opting out of advanced science classes. To inspire them, she decided that any students who had taken non-mandatory science courses both junior and senior year would get to place a handprint on the east wall of the science room.

"When I started in Chinook, my upper level classes were small. It seemed like after students took their two mandatory science classes, they were choosing not to take more. I wanted to motivate students to continue on in science. From that goal, t...