Maplewood High School Corrects a Creek

Creek Connections Student Comments

Symposiums: So Nice, We Did Them Twice

What do mayflies, hellbenders, and darters have in common? Students participating in Creek Connections know that the insect, salamander, and fish are all indicators of good water quality in a creek or river. And at two separate Student Research Symposiums, these students had the opportunity to join together to see these creatures and share their waterway knowledge.

For the first time ever, Creek Connections had two symposiums. One was for the northwest Pennsylvania schools on April 12 held at Allegheny College. The other was for the Pittsburgh area schools the following week on April 19 held at North Park.

“These events are the chance for participating schools to witness the variety of studied waterways and research project results, show off their hard work, and have some fun celebrating their efforts,” says Chris Resek, Project Coordinator of Creek Connections. The two events together involved nearly 700 students.

At both symposiums, students set up research project displays and poster presentations, interacted with environmental organizations and government agencies, compared data and sampling sites, and participated in hands-on activity sessions. The students at Allegheny’s symposium additionally gave oral presentations about their research projects.

“I liked how there was a lot of student/student and adult/student interaction at the symposium, liked that there was a lot of schools, and all the activities were fun and educational,” claimed Upper St. Clair student Tara Fruecht. Renae Brunecz of Sugar Grove Elementary thought, “all the projects were amazing. Everyone did a fantastic job!”

After lunch, students attended one of many focus group activities about various water-related topics. Ranging from salamander searches to aquatic insects, from creative creek writing to geologic explorations, students expanded their creek knowledge while having fun. Justin Beiter of Maplewood High School represented many students’ opinions stating that “the best aspect of the symposium was the group activities – they were great.”

These sessions were spread throughout Allegheny’s campus or throughout North Park, taking advantage of the resources that each location had to offer. “It was nice using the lake and nature center at North Park for some of the activities and having the Pittsburgh students get outside,” remarked Laura Branby, Creek Connections Pittsburgh Field Educator. At Allegheny, every single laboratory in Steffee Hall was filled with creekers, adding some excitement to the building on what is typically a quiet Friday afternoon.

At both symposiums, each school left with a participation award and student certificates in appreciation for their hard work during the school year. All the students who attended the symposium should be proud of their efforts and keep adding to their creek knowledge and appreciation.

Back to Top

For many students attending the Student Research Symposium, viewing the other school’s presentations and research displays was very enjoyable. “Being able to see the work of other students my own age was the best aspect of the day,” stated Krystel Mientkiewicz of Fort LeBoeuf High School.

One of the more unique projects was a puppet show that Bethesda Children’s Home created and partially performed at the Allegheny College Symposium. Entitled “Save Our Creeks,” the show dealt with how aquatic life can be affected by pollution.

In the show, dancing aquatic macroinvertebrate puppets and a mussel began coughing and complaining that they did not feel well. They ask the fairy dragonfly for help. She sends them upstream to look for answers to their pollution problems. What they discovered causing the problems turns out to be the real highlight of the show - pooping cows. Let’s just say you get a rear view of these cows and you don’t want to sit in the front row.

“It was hilarious to watch the Bethesda students dropping manure out from behind the cow set, perfectly timed to music,” remarked Creek Connections Project Assistant Derek Giebell. Luckily, only bean bags were coming out of the cows, and not the real thing.

According to teacher Mrs. Smith, “the puppet show has been two years in the making.” The puppets were completely constructed by the students. This year, 18 students had been involved in the production. These students will be performing their full show for the Bethesda community on June 3.

“I liked working on the puppet show. It was fun!” claimed Bethesda student Jeanette Scott. The crowd at the Symposium also enjoyed the creative show.

For the third year in a row, Maplewood High School broadened their Creek Connections experience from just researching creeks to restoring creeks. After learning about how the land and water interacts and factors influencing water quality and aquatic life, Maplewood students took their knowledge straight to the banks of a local waterway. In an incredible effort involving many students, government agencies, and environmental groups, a stream channel was stabilized, a streamside forest was replanted, and a farmer’s land was improved.

On May 2, approximately 110 students from Mr. Drake’s classes worked on a portion of Muddy Creek near Townville, Crawford County. The land and dairy farm is operated by Bob and Earl Infield, who were pleased to have Maplewood help them and their land. Marie Anderson, a student at Maplewood using the work as a senior project, spearheaded this year’s project. She located the site, worked closely with the Infields and the various agencies on designs, permits, and overall project coordination.

Agencies and organizations involved in the restoration project included the Crawford County Conservation District, Natural Resources Conservation Service, French Creek Project, DCNR Bureau of Forestry, and Ducks Unlimited Streambank Fencing Program.

Key to the day’s success was the Maplewood students’ enthusiastic energy. “It is amazing the efforts that have been going on, the willingness to help each other and to see how much can get done when the knowledge and tools are supplied,” claimed Marie. “It is very impressive how well everyone is working together.”

The Maplewood students should indeed be proud of the work they accomplished. They planted over 200 tree saplings and 700 live willow stakes along the banks. “This was the first time I have ever planted a tree,” confessed student Tiffany Black. With all the planting efforts, Kevin Wahlmark wanted the area to look different in the future with “lots of trees growing and a nice healthy stream.”

When the trees eventually grow, they will add shade to the water, their roots will help anchor soil in place reducing erosion, and they will provide habitat for animals. The streamside vegetation will also take up extra nutrients washing off adjacent farmland, keeping them from entering the stream. Willow stakes are sections of willow branches/ trunks that when inserted into the ground are “tricked” into sprouting roots and leaves, eventually turning into full trees.

Maplewood students also assisted with installing 3,000 feet of fencing that will keep cattle out of the stream. This reduces erosion, keeps cattle from collapsing banks as they enter the water, eliminates the direct addition of manure to the creek, and keeps cattle from drinking potentially contaminated water. The fence also helps keep the cattle from trampling the newly planted trees and from eating new vegetation that will start to naturally reappear along the banks.

Other tasks for the day included grading and seeding various banks with native grasses, planting some tree cuttings into a wetland area, and removing invasive species like Multiflora rose. This nasty plant often outcompetes native bushes, killing off the more beneficial vegetation.

The day included a lot of hard work, some unique learning experiences, and an awful lot of mud as well. “I have a new appreciation for mud. I am covered with it,”acknowledged student Brian Foltz. Scott McCurdy added that “it was cool to get outside and do something, to all get dirty and work together. And it is fun to see some of the pretty girls get dirty.”

Dirtiness aside, the Maplewood students took a significant step to help improve the Muddy Creek Watershed, hopefully keeping the creek a little cleaner in the future. Probably like most of the Maplewood students, Paige Lohr thought the best part of the day was “feeling the accomplishment when we were done.” For Maplewood High School though, they are not quite done yet, they will undoubtedly research and restore a different creek again next year.

Creek Connections Student Comments

Why did you enjoy learning about waterways this school year?

It helped me grasp the importance of keeping creeks clean. - Brian Foltz, Maplewood High School.

It was great. I love wildlife and studying creeks gave me more insight into this. It also gave me a wonderful hands-on experience. - Jen Olczak, Upper St. Clair High School.

Because things like that fascinate me. - Max Spears, Emily Brittain Elementary School.

I like to learn in a hands-on environment. - Evan Hart, Cochranton Sr. High School.

It was something that I have never learned about before and it is really interesting. - Emily McIntyre, Sugar Grove Elementary School.

I enjoyed it because it was fun. - Alex Mesley, Saegertown Jr. High School.

I liked learning about creeks, but I did not like taking the test about them. - Steve Suchow, Meadville Area Middle School.

It helped me learn interesting things I never would have known! - Kate Schroeck, Fort LeBoeuf High School.

It gave us a chance to learn about things we would not normally learn about. - Julia McKinney, Cambridge Springs High School.

I did not know that Pittsburgh had all the animals that we have. - Carey Bailey, Seneca Valley Middle School.

It was a good way to expose myself to environmental issues. - Maggie Brytus, Fort LeBoeuf High School.

I know water is important and not enough people care, so I take special interest in it. If I care, I can expect other to care too. - Rebecca Girard, Maplewood High School.