Heal the Bay Club extends program to lower levels of education

Samo's Heal the Bay club will implement the Teach and Test Program, a program that allows students to test water qualities and bacteria levels on the Santa Monica Beach, to local middle schools like in previous years.According the club co-Presidents, Nora Masler ('14), the goal of this program is to invite middle school students from JAMS, SMASH and Lincoln to come and participate in the weekly event. Students will be taught about the environment, the bay and the Teach and Test program. The program lets students get involved in microbiology by testing for bacteria and water samples at the beach and then scientifically incubating them to determine how poor or good the water quality is.Heal the Bay co-President Sadie Eller ('14) is helping to revive the program to inspire middle school students to get involved with Heal the Bay."The mentorship program will spread word about our program to the middle schools in our district [and] to the kids who will be attending Samo in future years," Eller said.Benjamin Kay, the club's adviser, is helping Masler and Eller get the program together. In the past, the club has had 20-40 students  show up and the club puts together videos and activities for the students to get involved in. The club has recently been busy with other projects, like the Paddle Out project and even building electric cars, and has not had the time for the mentoring program."The middle school kids get trained in all this science and environmental conservation," Kay said. "It's a great program. Then when the students get to Samo, they are already interested in doing more environmental science work. That's the real bonus and it really raises awareness."cgoldberg@thesamohi.com