Sixteen middle schoolers explore preserve, creative problem solving through STEM camp program day

Sixteen middle school girls from across the Susquehanna Valley visited the Montour Preserve on Thursday, June 27, 2024, for a special CSIU STEM Camp program.

They got to visit various popular areas of the preserve, getting a wide variety of experiences designed to expand their STEM skills while showcasing all the preserve has to offer.

The day began in the fossil pit with a presentation from Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper board member Doug Fessler and Vernal School Program Supervisor Marissa Crames. The students then spent about a half-hour searching for fossils and taking some home with them afterward.

They were then split into groups for a rotation through three stations. One was a scavenger hunt throughout the Nature Center for interesting facts that were hidden in various signage and other locations in the center, including the new Eels in the Classroom display. This station was led by Crames.

Another rotation included a stream study with Riverkeeper John Zaktansky with help from Fessler, starting with an observational look at how to tell if a stream is healthy or not, a look for macroinvertebrates and other aquatic creatures and chemical testing of a waterway. Students tested the Chillisquaque Creek's pH and turbidity and discussed how water sampling can lead to data that can identify sources for possible pollution. 

The third morning station involved an underwater videography overview with Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association President Michael Kinney. Students learned how to effectively take photos and videos under waterways to find different life, including an overview on how to safely use their phones for such an effort. 

After the rotations, the girls tried out electric skateboards they built earlier in the week during a different program day in a scavenger hunt for puzzle pieces using bird calls and vocal patterns. Zaktansky discussed the association's BirdNet project as another STEM-related creative solution to help monitor stream health during this session. 

After lunch, the girls took a hike into the backside of the preserve and then split in two. One group went with Fessler and Crames and looked at various environmental sensors from MWEE weather kits and discussed how they can be used to test for a wide variety of factors. The second group hiked across a forested section with Zaktansky to look for various signs of wildlife, observe browse patterns from deer in the wooded section and did some nature journaling along the way with various observations. 

Throughout the day, the girls engaged with association interns Sarah Joy and Theadora Duane, who helped connect them to the lessons and find various nature-related items along the way. 

"This is another program that showcases the essential partnership approach we have with the Vernal School effort at the Montour Preserve," said Zaktansky. "The Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit (CSIU) working with the Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association, the Montour Area Recreation Commission, Fessler IT Consulting and Get Lost Photography (Kinney) to connect young people with nature and the wide variety of opportunities at the preserve. These programs not only spark creative problem solving through STEM-colored glasses, but also help inspire the next generation of stewards and will bring new families to this vital venue."