Environmental classes make a splash outside the classroom

By Beckett Barlow, STAFF WRITER

SANFORD, Maine — Two Sanford High School science classes attended Wells Reserve at Laudholm on May 20 for a kayaking trip on the Little River and Maryland River.

Thirteen students and two SHS teachers traveled to Wells Reserve on May 20. Eleven students were from Mr. Korper’s AP environmental science class, and two students were from Mrs. Baker’s CCP environmental science class.

The students and faculty spent the day learning about the coastal Maine ecosystems and exploring the Little River and Maryland River.

“It was good to see the students leave their comfort zones,” said Korper. “A lot of kids had not been in an unstructured setting and allowed to independently seek out their level of proficiency on a kayak. That’s way out of a normal classroom thing.

“I think they also discovered that Wells is just indicative of how you could get out into the environment in a peaceful and recreational way,” he added. 

The trip consisted of a two-hour kayak ride downstream and upstream, right off the coast of the ocean. The students had to carry and load themselves into the kayaks and use a boat launch to get into the water.

For many students, this was their first time using a kayak and their first time being out on the water calculating things they have been learning in the classroom.

Korper stated, “This was more extensive because we were in a different environment and we got to practice a skill and then reflect on what that told us about an environment.”

The class also had the chance to see some wildlife up close, including crabs, fish, and even a red house finch bird nest in one of the kayaks.