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South Huntington students showcase 'living classroom' marine lab and STEM projects
Summary
High-school science research teachers and students presented a 'living classroom' marine biology lab, satellite and drone projects, and engineering prototypes. The board was asked to approve a maintenance contract to sustain the lab and agreed to site visits and slide materials for board members.
The South Huntington Union Free School District on Jan. 7 spotlighted its high school science research program, showcasing a "living classroom" that district presenters said includes more than 1,000 gallons of live coral, plant-growth stations used on the International Space Station and student-built prototypes.
"This is literally a living classroom," said Mr. Faraco, one of the program's teachers, as he described tanks, quarantine systems and filtration that students use for hands-on research. He told the board about donated equipment, including a tank he described as "about $67,000" and aluminum stands costing "$8,000," and credited outside nonprofit partners for additional support.
Why it matters: Board members said the research program funnels students from summer programs into high-school classes and has produced regional recognition and student grant awards. The district is seeking to sustain the lab through professional maintenance: the board later reviewed a recommendation to award a maintenance RFP for the marine lab to Island Fish and Scale.
Students presented short summaries of their projects. "I took a drone and flew around the school, took pictures, developed a map, and ran that map through plant algorithms," said Cheyenne Sneaky, a Whitman senior, describing research that helped her win a grant for work mapping spotted lanternfly infestations. A junior named Katie described using GOES-19 satellite imagery to study how smoke-plume aerosols affect cloud formation and local rainfall patterns. "Smoke plumes release a special chemical called aerosol that affects cloud formation," Katie said. Enoch Lawrence described an electric ducted fan project and mechanical prototyping aimed at reducing energy losses in propulsion systems.
Program scope and partners: Presenters said the lab supports internships and partnerships with organizations including Brookhaven and NASA, and runs a two-week summer research program for grades 6–8 that exposes younger students to robotics, hydroponics, fluid dynamics and coral fragging. The presenters also noted that students have placed in regional competitions and that the facility includes technology like an ROV and a satellite dish used to download GOES-19 data.
Board follow-up: Board members asked for the presentation slide deck and requested a visitation to the research facilities. The board's subsequent business agenda included a proposal to award the marine lab maintenance RFP to Island Fish and Scale to support ongoing operations.
The board moved from the presentations into routine business and will consider the maintenance contract in the meeting's business items.
