Honeywell Summer Science Week at the MOST Kicks Off with Syracuse City Proclamation, Onondaga Lake Boat Cruise and Exploration of Water Bugs, Fossils and Tree Rings; Program is Designed to Promote Science and Foster Relationships
Today, 55 local middle school students become modern day explorers, embarking on a week-long investigation of the Onondaga Lake watershed designed to enliven their scientific imagination. The students will visit locations from the Tully Valley to Onondaga Lake learning from scientists, engineers and professors about water quality and the environment. They will sample and measure waterways, examine a naturally occurring slice of the earth, and jump to release a greater amount of gas from the Tully Mud Boils.
Marking the first day of the 2007 Honeywell Summer Science Week at the MOST, students from the Syracuse City, West Genesee Central, and Solvay Union Free school districts and the Dunbar Center received an introductory lesson about Onondaga Lake’s environment while cruising on the Emita II. They met Syracuse Common Council President Bea Gonzàlez who presented a proclamation on behalf of the City of Syracuse and Mayor Matt Driscoll declaring July 16-20 as “Honeywell Summer Science Week at the MOST.”
After lunch, students and teachers visited the Heiberg Memorial Forest and SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF) Field Station in Tully to dig small holes within the forest floor for surface water testing; net and identify water bugs and rocks; observe local plant life; and study the area’s landscape, geology and fossils.
“Honeywell is proud to partner with the MOST to inspire young people to pursue careers in science, math and engineering,” said Honeywell Syracuse Program Director John McAuliffe. “Honeywell Hometown Solutions’ support for Science and Math Education programs reflects the basic premise that science and math are the building blocks of societal innovation and individual development. We are committed to providing Central New York middle school students with programs and experiences that bring science to life in memorable, life-changing ways.”
From July 16 through July 20, students will participate in a combination of activities at the MOST and various field locations, while learning an interdisciplinary approach for investigation, discovery and resolution of environmental issues facing Onondaga County.
“Students will experience the clean headwaters of Onondaga Creek in Tully Valley, and through the week, witness and sample the various inputs by natural, rural and urban environments as the water makes its way through the Onondaga Lake watershed,” said MOST Exhibits Project Manager Dr. Peter Plumley, who is coordinating the project.
Field activities also include using GPS technology to participate in a geocaching adventure and touring the Syracuse University’s Center for Environmental Systems Engineering Lab, Onondaga County’s Metropolitan Syracuse Wastewater Treatment Plant (Metro), Honeywell’s Willis Avenue Groundwater Treatment Plant, and the Salt Museum.
Academic partners include teachers from middle schools in the participating school districts, as well as faculty and graduate students from Cornell University, Syracuse University and SUNY-ESF.
For more information on the Onondaga Lake cleanup, visit www.onondaga-lake-initiatives.com.