North Point High School students in Meladeh McKinnon’s organic chemistry class recently participated in the Bridging the Watershed — Watershed Watchdogs program. Gina McCullough of the Nanjemoy Creek Environmental Education Center collected water from the Piney Branch tributary in the early morning hours of Oct. 26 — the day of the activity.
Students used samples from Piney Branch to determine the Water Quality Index which gives them a broader view of the health of the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay. They looked for dissolved oxygen, pH levels, turbidity, nitrates, dissolved solids and collected other data for analysis.
Bridging the Watershed programs are available for middle- and high-school students. McKinnon has been at North Point for six years but is familiar with Bridging the Watershed — she previously worked for the program. Hands-on activities bring a “real world” prescriptive to what students are learning inside the classroom, McKinnon said. “It is a connection to real life.”
“It’s more impactful,” McCullough said. “It is their waterway.”
About CCPS
Charles County Public Schools provides 27,000 students in grades prekindergarten through 12 with an academically challenging education. Located in Southern Maryland, Charles County Public Schools has 37 schools that offer a technologically advanced, progressive and high quality education that builds character, equips for leadership and prepares students for life, careers and higher education.
The Charles County public school system does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age or disability in its programs, activities or employment practices. For inquiries, please contact Kathy Kiessling, Title IX/ADA/Section 504 Coordinator (students) or Nikial M. Majors, Title IX/ADA/Section 504 Coordinator (employees/ adults), at Charles County Public Schools, Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building, P.O. Box 2770, La Plata, MD 20646; 301-932-6610/301-870-3814. For special accommodations call 301-934-7230 or TDD 1-800-735-2258 two weeks prior to the event.
CCPS provides nondiscriminatory equal access to school facilities in accordance with its Use of Facilities rules to designated youth groups (including, but not limited to, the Boy Scouts).
Students used samples from Piney Branch to determine the Water Quality Index which gives them a broader view of the health of the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay. They looked for dissolved oxygen, pH levels, turbidity, nitrates, dissolved solids and collected other data for analysis.
Bridging the Watershed programs are available for middle- and high-school students. McKinnon has been at North Point for six years but is familiar with Bridging the Watershed — she previously worked for the program. Hands-on activities bring a “real world” prescriptive to what students are learning inside the classroom, McKinnon said. “It is a connection to real life.”
“It’s more impactful,” McCullough said. “It is their waterway.”
About CCPS
Charles County Public Schools provides 27,000 students in grades prekindergarten through 12 with an academically challenging education. Located in Southern Maryland, Charles County Public Schools has 37 schools that offer a technologically advanced, progressive and high quality education that builds character, equips for leadership and prepares students for life, careers and higher education.
The Charles County public school system does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age or disability in its programs, activities or employment practices. For inquiries, please contact Kathy Kiessling, Title IX/ADA/Section 504 Coordinator (students) or Nikial M. Majors, Title IX/ADA/Section 504 Coordinator (employees/ adults), at Charles County Public Schools, Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building, P.O. Box 2770, La Plata, MD 20646; 301-932-6610/301-870-3814. For special accommodations call 301-934-7230 or TDD 1-800-735-2258 two weeks prior to the event.
CCPS provides nondiscriminatory equal access to school facilities in accordance with its Use of Facilities rules to designated youth groups (including, but not limited to, the Boy Scouts).