Middle School Students Showcase Their Work for Citizens for a Healthy Bay

On April 29 Grade 7 students showcased their participation in what has been a year long pilot educational program hosted by Citizens for a Healthy Bay. Close to 100 community members attended the event at Jason Lee Middle School.

 

Since last September students have been learning the benefits of improved water quality to natural habitat areas, specifically the Gog Le Hi Te Wetlands in Tacoma. The pilot program places focus on four areas of conservation – water quality, invasive species, native species and animals.

 

Throughout the year the Grade 7 students took four fields trips down to the wetlands to partake in a variety of projects. Students used eight measurement tools to determine the water quality in the habitat. They pulled invasive species such as Himalayan blackberries and Scotch broom. They spent time planting native species, specifically shore pine, snowberry and big leaf maples. Students also conducted data count assessments to analyze the number of different species of plants and animals residing in the wetlands, and the number of each of those species in the area of study.