Rising 7th graders at both Central Academy and Read Mountain Middle schools as part of the summer enrichment program are heading to the Great Fox Island in the Chesapeake Bay to study the wildlife and resources in and around the water on June 23-25 as part of Bay Explorers 2008 and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.

Tony Lewis teaches at Central Academy and last summer he spent a week on Fox Island studying the Chesapeake Bay as part of the teacher institute and this summer with the help of the Botetourt Education Foundation he will be traveling along with several other adults and 17 students to spend three days with the identified gifted and talented program students looking at flora and fauna of the Chesapeake Bay and discussing human impact on the Bay and conservation of the important body of water.

Some of the things the students will be exploring said Lewis include history and folk lore of the bay, underwater grasses, crabbing, fishing and oystering, salt marsh exploration, field journals and naturalist news and weather watch.

Sustainability is a feature of the island as well. Solar energy powers the island which is very close to Tangier Island near the eastern shore of Virginia. The group will ride a ferry over to the island. He noted with a laugh the toilets on the island are Clivis Multrum-- composting toilets and the shower is non existent but they are surrounded by water.

The lodge where they will be staying has natural cooling-- open windows in the summer to keep the students cool at night. Meals are cooked on premises in a team effort. Under the notion of Recycle, Compost, Reduce and Reuse the students will learn how life can be Earth friendlier as well as sustainable. A member of the Chesapeake Bay foundation will accompany the students while they are on the island as well said Lewis.

Those who will be attending from Botetourt include Rebecca Dudley, Tiffany Brandt, Luke Arney, Collin Anderson, Annalee Quesinberry, Emily Swanson, Hunter Wolfe, Maggie Grumbine,Austin Scruggs, Emily Goralewicz, Cassidy Holley, Chris Halsey, Ann-Chappel Barkett, Emma Clements, Kendall Moyer, Carey Jones and Hannah Austin. Adults include Lewis, Luke Bennett, Heidi Lewis and Lisa Moyer.

While the group is on the island they will compose a DVD as well as the journaling each student will do of their experiences. The Botetourt Education Foundation provided $4,000 for the trip. The group will travel by school bus to the Rappahannock River to catch the ferry. During the stay they will also travel to Tangier Island to dinner one evening and to site see and visit a gift shop there.

"I would like for it to become a yearly event." said Lewis.

Austin Scruggs and Rebecca Dudley pictured with Lewis said, "This should be a fun learning experience."

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• Posted by cathy benson in Schools & education
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