Research
project draws area volunteers to Alaska
Tuesday, July 05, 2005 • By KAT
MAIN • The Express-Times
INDEPENDENCE TWP. -- When school starts
in September, Great Meadows Middle School science teachers
Jan Romanczyk and Karen Lund hope to have exciting stories
about their summer vacation.
Instead of spending time at the beach or
lazily watching summer days ebb by, Lund and Romanczyk will
be deep in the Alaska's Tongass National Forest tracking the
nocturnal flying squirrel and assisting researching
scientists in the field.
"It will be an experience to write home
about," said Romanczyk.
Working in conjunction with the
Earthwatch Institute, an organization linking researchers
with teams of volunteers, the teachers will spend two weeks
in August on Prince of Wales Island in southeastern
Alaska.
While staying in either a logging camp or
tents, the teachers will help researchers determine the
impact of Alaska's growing logging industry on the native
squirrels.
The teachers are required, as a condition
of their funding from the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, to
take photographs and keep journals during the trip. Upon
returning, the teachers will be asked to share their
experiences with others.
Lund hopes to share what she learns with
the students in a way they can relate to it and develop a
level of awareness about their impact on the world around
them.
The trip to Alaska is Romanczyk's first
outing with the Earthwatch Institute. She learned about
Earthwatch and its programs after listening to Lund's
presentation about her trip to Brazil where she learned
about the impact of cattle ranches on native
jaguars.
"Karen inspired me to go," said
Romanczyk.
With Lund's help and encouragement, the
teacher of 23 years decided she would sign up for the
adventure.
"I've never been to Alaska. I know about
the Iditarod dog races. But that's my extent of branching
out," she said.
Romanczyk said the trip should truly open
her eyes to the rest of the world.
"This is all going to be new to me. It
should be very exciting," she said.
Lund and Romanczyk are two of 30 New
Jersey teachers involved in the program.
Ann Cohen, education program coordinator
with Earthwatch, said it's important for the organization to
reach out to teachers.
"Teachers are some of the most natural
spokespeople. They have ways to disseminate information and
have immediate audience of students and colleagues," Cohen
said.
She said the program is a "tremendous way
to bolster scientific studies in schools.
"The presentations are much more
meaningful and enthusiastic when teachers have empirical
examples of the reality of what's really going on in
science."
Jason Bing, director of curriculum and
special services with the school district, said Lund and
Romanczyk's experiences will be valuable to the
district.
"It's a unique opportunity to work with
scientists in the field. We're hoping they're going to
turnkey the things they've learned and experienced with
other staff members and students."
Reporter Kat Main can be reached at 908-475-8044 or by
e-mail at kmain@express-times.com.
© 2005 The Express-Times. Used with
permission.
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