Michigan Tech's Summer Youth Program Exploration: Aquatic Ecology at Gratiot Lake was held July 18 - July 24. The 2010 students took the record for distance traveled to attend. Brian Rajdl and Marcy Erickson taught this group of seven high school students: six from a science oriented boarding school in South Korea and one from Hawaii.
For all of the students it was their first experience "camping" in the north woods. They seemed to love every minute of it. Language differences were not a barrier to their appreciation of nature. The South Korean students, who live in urban settings, remarked that they had never seen so many stars. Participants learned canoe skills quickly and investigated the outlet to the Little Gratiot River where they discovered a series of beaver dams that are causing very high water levels in Gratiot Lake.
The group studied the ecology of Gratiot Lake, a beaver dam, and the Little Gratiot River. They looked at the water chemistry and the communities of plants and animals that live in these different environments.
This aquatic ecology exploration for students in 9th to 11th grade will be offered again in 2011. GLC supports this exploration by hosting the group and paying the salary of one teacher. Be sure to check MTU Summer Youth Program website later in the winter for details.
A Sandretto Scholarship will be available for at least one student to attend. Although preference is given to a local student or one from the Upper Peninsula, from time to time scholarships have been awarded to others when more local candidates are not found.
