Current Project
This year, our class has hosted beach clean-ups, monitored invasive phragmites on Langsford Rd, and collected data on invasive green crabs. Recently we have undertaken an awareness campaign about microplastics in our environment. We created informational bulletin boards in our school to educate our peers and KHS faculty about the issues around microplastics. We presented these boards to KHS administration and community partners in hopes to educate and encourage actionable change in our community.
Microplastics Bulletin Board
We created bulletin boards for Kennebunk High School to address the impacts of microplastics on a local and global scale. Our class overviewed microplastics, looking at their threats and impacts, and researched potential solutions to the issue.
Phragmites Data Collection
As a class, we monitored invasive phragmites growing along Langsford Rd. in Cape Porpoise. We collected data using plot points, monitoring the biodiversity of the salt marsh.
Beach Profiling
Once a month, groups of students go to Wells Beach and Goose Rocks Beach to collect data to monitor erosion of the shoreline.
Beach Clean ups
We collected sand and water samples from Gooches, Parsons, and Goose Rocks beach to test for microplastics. We found at least one piece of plastic in every sample taken. Additionally, we collected larger plastics off of the beach and created art with the trash to display in Kennebunk High School.
Green Crab Data Collection
We went out as a class to Reddin Island and collected European green crab population data for the Gulf of Maine Research Institute (GMRI).