In July, fifteen middle and high school teachers from seven different states participated in the Teachers on the Estuary (TOTE) four-day field-based workshop at the Reserve. Since then, they have been teaching their students about estuaries and watersheds, while also?implementing student-driven?stewardship projects. On Saturday, the more local contingency of this TOTE group (and one teacher?skyping from Kentucky!) met at the Reserve for a follow-up session. The teachers shared information about their stewardship projects, which are very impressive!

• Brian White, a teacher at Danvers High School in Massachusetts, has cleaned up ten beaches with his 68 juniors and seniors this fall. He will repeat this project in the spring with a new group of students.
• Claire Ross, a teacher at Lyman Moore Middle School in Portland, will install picture posts to observe seasonal changes with her students over time. The students will collect light and temperature data at the posts and will also create a public information brochure about the posts.
• David Word, a teacher at St. Francis High School in Kentucky, will conduct stream restoration with his students. They will?remove invasive species and replace them with?native plants on the banks of a local stream. Temperature and sunlight data will be collected before and after the plantings, and signage will be created to educate the public about the project.
• Cheryl Oakes and Pam Parrott, teachers at Wells High School, are teaming up with the Wells harbormaster to?install picture posts at the Wells Harbor with students. They will document seasonal changes, test for fecal coliform,?and record their observations and results?on a student-initiated website.
• Amanda Roy, a student in the Extended Teacher Education Program (ETEP) at the University of Southern Maine in Portland, plans to address storm water runoff in the watershed by installing rain barrels or a rain garden with students in the spring. Students will also calculate the area of impervious surface on their school campus and the amount of runoff during rain events.
• Marion de Laubenfels of Arundel plans to connect students to the Mount Agamenticus to the Sea initiative. The group will travel to sites within the watershed and conduct habitat restoration along the way.