School report results in state vernal pool designation

[ Originally published on: Tuesday, February 03, 2009 ]

GREENFIELD -- Thomas Perham and Tristen Conolly say they never imagined their seventh-grade project would lead to anything more than a better understanding of vernal pools and a good grade.

But at the end of last week, they learned all of their hard work had paid off in a much bigger way. The vernal pool they have explored at Highland Park for months has now been certified by the state -- thanks to them and their 34 classmates.

A vernal pool is a pond that appears in the spring with the melting of winter snows and dries up later in the year, but still provides habitat for many animals during a crucial time of their life cycles.

'It was really cool to hear that something we did in school has made such a difference,' said Perham. 'I loved getting outdoors to study, but it just makes it that much better to know we did something really good.'

Conolly said she learned a lot about vernal pools and the wildlife that lives there, but nothing compares to knowing their example will be preserved because of the class' efforts.

Perham and Conolly are students at Four Rivers Charter School on Colrain Road. The entire seventh grade collaborated last year on the project and their teachers, Amanda Locke (math and science) and Matt Leaf (English), then applied for the certification from the state.

'I think the students might have forgotten about the application to the state,' said Locke. 'They're eighth-graders now, so they've moved on. But boy, were they excited when they heard the news!'

The certification is the first for a vernal pool within Greenfield town limits.

'I think it significant that this certification has been made due to the efforts of the (teachers) and students at the Four Rivers Charter School,' said Mayor Christine Forgey. 'They are to be commended for their initiative in identifying this project and their thorough and successful research on behalf of the environment.'

The state Division of Fisheries and Wildlife has identified, based on the class' research, a spot in Highland Park off Peabody Lane as a vernal pool. Certification by the state means protection under state regulations.

No endangered species were found in the pool, but students realized they'd found a verifiable pool when they spotted fairy shrimp there. Fairy shrimp, which are small, translucent crustaceans, are only found in actual vernal pools.

'The students spent months working on mapping, exploring and looking for wildlife that would confirm it was a vernal pool,' said Locke. 'When they found the fairy shrimp -- a sure sign -- they were so happy.'

Out of the class project came numerous reports on different animals that live in and near such pools, photographs, paintings and a class publication titled 'Life in a Vernal Pool,' which can be found at the Greenfield Public Library.

Leaf said students not only wrote the field guide as a collaborative effort, but each student wrote a folktale about the animal they were assigned to research.

'There were two climaxes with this project,' said Leaf. 'First, when the students finished such a massive undertaking and then when they found out last week that the vernal pool had been certified by the state.'

Leaf said when the students were told, there first appeared dozens of smiles and then spontaneous applause. 'This type of project is truly where academics meets community,' said Leaf. 'We've got our students focusing on the real world and doing work for a bigger audience than just their school.'

Perham said the spot has become very special to him.

'I've been there a lot with my family,' he said. 'I can't wait to go there with them the next time -- to show them our vernal pool.'

Conolly said she'll visit the spot again -- this time with friends. 'I'm so proud,' she said. 'I want to share this with my friends. We worked so hard. I'm so glad it paid off and made a difference.'

Locke said this year's seventh-grade class is working on a different project, with the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts. Students will learn statistics on hunger, proportion sizes and will scale up family recipes to feed many. Their end-of-the-year publication will be a cookbook they will sell, donating the proceeds to the food bank.

To purchase a copy of 'Life in a Vernal Pool,' contact Four Rivers Charter School at (413) 775-4577 or visit its Web site at:

www.fourriverscharter.org

 

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