In November 2024, Shane Dongilli, a passionate science educator at KIPP GCP Primary School in Gaston, NC, was awarded a Bright Ideas grant of $315.87 for a project with a vision—literally. His project, Cow Eyes for Science, gave fourth-grade students a unique, hands-on opportunity to explore the anatomy of the eye by dissecting real cow eyes during their “Vision and Light” unit.
We recently had the privilege of returning to the school to see this unforgettable project in action, and what we witnessed was a classroom buzzing with curiosity, courage, and critical thinking.
Scalpels, Curiosity, and Future Surgeons in the Making
As students leaned in—gloved hands steady and eyes wide—they weren’t just learning about the parts of the eye. They were discovering potential futures.
“So everything that we learned about in the eyes—we’ve taken out. Now you have a better understanding of what the eye actually looks like,” said Mr. Dongilli as he guided the class through the process. “Doctors use the same exact tools you're using today: scalpels, scissors, tweezers. Maybe some of you are thinking—hey, this could be my thing.”
And indeed, it might be. One student declared, “When I was opening it up, I told my classmates that I may want to be a surgeon when I grow up because I liked cutting it.”
Their teacher smiled and replied, “At first, you were grossed out. But then you got really into it—just like I thought you would.”
Learning That Sticks (Literally and Figuratively)
Mr. Dongilli knows that it’s not always about what’s in the textbook—it’s about what students can touch, feel, and truly experience.
“We look at pictures all the time, but touching the real thing? That’s different. That’s what makes it real,” he explained. When they found the optic nerve and were like ‘Ohh I found it!’—the excitement was off the charts. You don’t get that from a diagram.
It’s not just excitement that’s building in this classroom—it's trust, responsibility, and deep engagement. Putting scalpels in fourth graders' hands requires preparation, patience, and safety, and Mr. Dongilli has built a classroom culture that thrives on it.
‘Why can’t we just touch the inside of the body?’ So I asked my principal, and she said, ‘Try it.’ And I’ve been doing dissections ever since.”
Bringing Science to Life
The classroom was filled with moments of hesitation and breakthroughs—students scrunching their noses at the start, only to be fascinated minutes later as they explored the inner workings of the cow eye.
Afterward, students were asked to reflect on the experience. “Take some time to think about how you felt when you were doing the dissection,” Mr. Dongilli told them. “You might realize, ‘That was actually kind of cool,’ or you might decide, ‘Yeah, never again.’ Either way, it’s a great way to start thinking about the future—and whether science or medicine might be a path for you.”
One Teacher, One Vision, Big Impact
Mr. Dongilli is the only science teacher in his building—and he wears that badge proudly. “We don’t emphasize science enough,” he said. “But science is everything. You can teach reading through science. You can teach math through science. And most of all, you can make it fun.”
From dissecting cow eyes in fourth grade to pig organs in fifth, he’s on a mission to make science real, relevant, and riveting for every student.
“Kids are interested,” he added. “They want to learn about their world. Give them the chance to explore it—and they’ll show you just how much they’re capable of.”
Thanks to the Bright Ideas grant and the enthusiasm of educators like Mr. Dongilli, students at KIPP GCP Primary aren’t just reading about biology—they’re experiencing it, one cow eye at a time.
Want to see more classrooms come alive with innovation like this one? Learn more about the Bright Ideas program and how it’s supporting bold educators across North Carolina. Bright Ideas Education Grants - North Carolina's Electric Cooperatives | North Carolina's Electric Cooperatives
