by Kaia Patty
While the majority of Pilgrim students were stuck indoors for classes, Mrs. Zielinski’s AP Environmental Science (APES) students were enjoying hands-on activities at Warwick’s Gorton Pond.
On September 30th, eighteen students traveled to Gorton Pond for a day of interactive fieldwork. In light of a potential construction project across the street, they were instructed to collect data on the various aspects of the environment, such as the soil, air, and water quality as well as the biodiversity and ecosystem services in order to see how the ecosystem would be disrupted if the construction moves forward. A large portion of the course revolves around the interactions within ecosystems, how humans affect the environment, and solutions to various environmental issues, with the field trip playing directly into those topics.
While the trip itself served as a way for the students to apply the knowledge they have gained through class, it further served as a passion project for Mrs. Zielinski. At the end of the project, the students will create environmental impact reports, with Mrs. Zielinski expressing, “My hope is that students will submit [the projects] to the Warwick planning board, giving them a voice in local government and community development.”
Her sentiment regarding being an active voice in government issues is echoed through her thoughts on the importance of the course itself. When asked about the relevance of the topics discussed in the class, she replied, “So many of the topics we learn about in this course directly impact the world they live in. It is so important that students become informed citizens and, more importantly, active voters”. Clearly, Mrs. Zielinski, and the APES course by extension, promotes community involvement, environmental awareness, and challenging the way we think about our world, concepts that are essential to every student at Pilgrim. With the constant change in our world’s environmental conditions, it is up to our generation to stay informed and continue to advocate for the Earth.
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