Scientists for a summer

The thought of a science project often sends high school students logging on to a computer to conduct research on the Internet or scurrying to the nearest art supply store for materials. Last summer, however, some Delaware students’ involvement with community issues blended seamlessly with carrying out the work of real scientists, from proposal to presentation. Joe Farrell, resource management specialist with the Delaware Sea

Grant Marine Advisory Service, along with Ryan Brown from the Upward Bound Math and Science Center at the Jack F. Owens Campus of Delaware Technical & Community College in Georgetown, developed the Environmental Youth Leadership Mini-Grant Program. It introduces students to the process of scientific research and study. The program, supported by funding from the Environmental Protection Agency, provided a series of small grants to students so they could study environmental issues, giving them a chance to learn about science outside the four walls of a classroom.

Students first wrote a proposal, complete with a budget, to address a local environmental issue. They then carried out the research, tabulated the results and presented their findings—everything that a scientist does on an actual project.

“We wanted to encourage high school students to become involved in environmental issues that affect the places where they live and develop the leadership skills that allow them to find creative solutions to these challenges,” Farrell says. “But, the main goal of the program was to give students an opportunity to learn by exploring and doing and to have fun while they were doing it.”

A total of 31 students in grades nine through 12 participated in the mini-grant program. Most were participants in Upward Bound, a federally funded program designed to prepare high school students for college by providing tutoring and academic support throughout the year.

The students began with a half-day “Environmental Youth Leadership Conference” last spring, which introduced them to environmental issues in their community and provided suggestions on how they could get involved.

They then broke into teams and decided to tackle projects in three areas, all pertinent issues for Delaware—invasive species and beach management, coastal erosion and the effect of water quality on oyster growth. With assistance from Upward Bound teachers, each team prepared a formal proposal, including an itemized budget needed to complete their projects.

Once the proposals were submitted and approved, the students began doing the fieldwork and learning how to use the various types of equipment needed for their projects.

“In the beginning, the students were a little nervous about using the equipment and collecting data, but it didn’t take long before they were doing all the work on their own,” according to Tina Bernat, MS ’95M, a science instructor with Upward Bound. “It was very rewarding to see the students take a larger and larger role in the completion of their project as the summer progressed.”

In the water quality project, for example, students learned how to test water using a dissolved oxygen meter and a pH meter and how to use calipers to measure oyster growth. Assisted by representatives from Delaware Sea Grant and the Inland Bays Citizens Monitoring Program, this team conducted research at two sites to determine whether the salinity, dissolved oxygen, depth and bacteria levels in the water affect the growth rate in oysters.

Ashley Hyland, a sophomore at Delmar (Del.) High School, says it was a great experience. “I learned how oysters live and grow over a period of days and weeks and how to conduct different water quality tests,” she says.

Erica Penn, another sophomore at Delmar High School, also worked on the oyster project. “We needed a lot of help at first, because we didn’t know how to use the equipment,” she says, “but by the end of the summer, we could work by ourselves.”

In the project dealing with invasive species and beach management, students assisted the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control with the assessment, mapping and control of invasive plant species such as Carex kobomugi, commonly known as sedge, on coastal beach properties.

Students involved in the beach survey project learned how to use a calibrated rod and a sighting rod to profile the beach. They studied the elevation and erosion of beaches on both the Atlantic coast and the Inland Bays to understand the differences in coastal processes between these beaches.

The students in all projects spent approximately two days a week for six weeks implementing their proposals by making observations and taking pictures on weekly field trips. At the end of the six weeks, the group celebrated with a day of fun at James Farm Ecological Preserve in Delaware Seashore State Park.

“I caught a crab for the first time, and I went on my very first boat ride,” Hyland says. “It was wonderful feeling the boat glide across the water.”

After that, it was back to work. The students discussed and reviewed their data and prepared presentations that described their research methods, findings and conclusions. The program culminated with presentations at the annual Upward Bound awards ceremony, as well as at Coast Day, the Delaware Sea Grant College Program and College of Marine Studies’ annual educational festival and showcase for Delaware’s rich marine resources.

“The students gained valuable information about the scientific process and about the natural resources of Delaware,” Bernat says. “I also think the project boosted the confidence of many of the students. They felt a real sense of accomplishment.”

—Kari K. Gulbrandsen, EG ’91M