Aquatic Ecology:
Field Study at Gratiot Lake
July 26 - August 01
Eight high school students spent five days at the Noblet Field Station and Gratiot Lake Preserve during Michigan Tech's Summer Youth Program Exploration: Aquatic Ecology at Gratiot Lake in late July. Under the guidance of science teacher Brian Rajdl, the high school students studied the chemistry and biological communities of the lake, the Little Gratiot River, Sucker Creek, and a beaver dam near the Bear Paw Path. Students collected and analyzed aquatic invertebrates. They learned how ecologists work. This rustic camping experience also offered opportunities for the group to learn to work together cooperatively.
Student comments:
“Thanks you for taking us to this cabin and for showing me how to cnnect to nature even more... from learning some tracking to canoeing and just sitting on the dock while enjoying the lake…”
“I really enjoyed my experience here. The teacher was really inspirational and taught me a lot about field science.”
“Seeing a the stars, full moon, northern lights, and a rainbow…was amazing despite all the yucky bugs…”
GLC Awards Rita and Jack Sandretto Scholarship
GLC awarded the Rita and Jack Sandretto Scholarship to Jacalyn Blau, a sophomore at Lake Linden-Hubbell High School. Jacalyn was the eleventh student to receive this scholarship to attend the Michigan Tech Summer Youth Program Exploration: Aquatic Ecology at Gratiot Lake. The tuition scholarship and the salary of instructor Brian Rajdl are funded from an education endowment originally established in 2002 by Rita Sandretto in memory of her husband Jack. Rita, who was an avid supporter of environmental education, passed away in 2007.
In addition to the week long camping experience for high school students, Michigan Tech Summer Youth Program also has brought junior high students to the GLC preserve at Gratiot Lake in 2014 and 2015 to study aquatic ecology for a day. This year Karen Cladas and Will Lytle were the instructors of the five students who came to explore lake ecology.
This residential class is co-sponsored by Tech and GLC. Teacher salary for the exploration is subsidized by the GLC Education Fund.
