8
| on the mountain winter 2013-2014
ON OCTOBER 10, TEN ENVIRONMENTAL
science
students from The Storm King School furthered an ongoing,
region-wide study of the Hudson River. It was a chance for
them to come off the mountain to conduct real scientific work
and contribute to major research about the river.
Students participated in “A Day in the Life of the Hudson
River,” an event coordinated by the New York State Depart-
ment of Environmental Conservation’s Hudson River Estuary
Program, with assistance from Columbia University’s Lamont-
Doherty Earth Observatory. The day focuses on educating
students about the changes in the health and wellness of the
river. Students and individuals collaborate with environmental
professionals to observe marine life, collect and test water and
sediment samples and other data at dozens of points along the
Hudson — from Troy Dam to New York Harbor. The informa-
tion is then entered into a designated website, to be shared and
studied by students and educators. According to the NYSDEC
website, these data create “snapshots” so that students “can
better understand how their piece of the river fits into the larger
Hudson estuary ecosystem.”
Learning Beyond the Classroom
Benissa Uwamwiza ‘14 and Luke Azevedo ‘14 collect data from the Hudson
River as part of the environmental science curriculum.
STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN “A DAY
IN THE LIFE OF THE HUDSON RIVER”
By Xenia Ferencevych
SKS
|
News
STUDENTS MET GENERAL DAVID PETRAEUS
(
former director of
the CIA and retired United States Army general) on Thursday, October
31
at The Newburgh Armory Unity Center (NAUC). Petraeus was at
the center to receive a special presentation by Mount Saint Mary
Professor Dr. Janine Bixler, regarding NAUC’s partnership in the CELL
(
Collaborative for Equity in Literacy Learning) program. Deirdre
Glenn, the president and CEO of NAUC invited various local and
private schools from the area. Five students from The Storm King
School took advantage of the opportunity.
General Petraeus is a four star general who served his country for
more than 37 years in the United States Army and is from Cornwall-
on-Hudson, New York.
The NAUC is a place where the children and young people of the
city of Newburgh may come together for athletic and educational
opportunities, and learn and experience important lessons that will
help them to grow into responsible and productive adults and
citizens.
STUDENTS MEET
GENERAL DAVID PETRAEUS
The Storm King School students have participated and con-
tributed their findings to the database since 2009. SKS biology
teacher Mr. James Uhlig leads the expeditions and is excited
about the experiential opportunity it provides because the
students are doing true environmental science work: collecting
and analyzing information in the field. “It’s really neat. I love it,
especially because the professionals are involved. So, they help
us — it’s not just an exercise, it’s a real thing,” says Uhlig.
Mr. Uhlig says that studying the Hudson is a feature of the
environmental science curriculum and that the NYSDEC and
Columbia University offer lesson plans for teachers to use in
the classroom. He says the data collected allows them to discuss
changes in the river over space and time. His hope is that
students learn to appreciate the river as an essential part of their
environment.
Now in its eleventh year, more than 3,500 people participate
in “A Day in the Life of the Hudson River,” which takes place
in conjunction with National Estuaries Day and World Water
Monitoring Day.
