Inspiring the Next Generation To Be Bay Stewards
By Aura Hernandez, education specialist
For over twenty-five years, Save The Bay has been working with the students and teachers at Central Falls High School (CFHS). This field-based program connects students with their local waterbody, which drains into Narragansett Bay. For Central Falls students, this is the Blackstone River, one of the major tributaries that empties into Narragansett Bay.
Every year, the students from CFHS meet Save The Bay educators at Lonsdale Marsh (the old drive-in movie theater) throughout the school year, in all seasons, to learn about the river, the animals and plants that live there, and how humans have a daily impact on the environment in both positive and not-so-positive ways.
For many students, it is their first time being introduced to the river and the marsh in a hands-on educational capacity. Students are learning about trends in water chemistry in the river by taking samples and analyzing their results in dissolved oxygen, temperature, salinity, pH, ammonia, nitrates and nitrites.
It’s a program I have been looking forward to since starting as a full time educator at Save The Bay. Today it is my privilege to take it over as the lead educator. It’s a pleasure to collaborate with past teachers of mine to continue to make this program a success!
But my story doesn’t start there. When I was little, my first interactions with the Bay were at the beach. My parents always took me to the beach when I was very young. We spent a lot of time at Misquamicut and Scarborough. Growing up, I always thought of the rivers as dirty.
Then, as a high schooler, I did the Narragansett Bay field studies program. Analyzing the water, I learned that first looks are not always what they seem. I have always had a passion for natural science, but really enjoying my urban ecosystem was the cherry on top! For me it was my first time connecting the Blackstone River to Narragansett Bay; everything is interconnected. It was my favorite part of my junior year of high school.
I appreciate all the hard work that both my high school teacher, Mrs. Stanish, and my Save The Bay educators put in to give me an amazing experience. I looked forward to getting on the bus, meeting Save The Bay staff, helping carry materials and putting boots on to trek to our field site. My classmates would say the same, too. Connecting with my local body of water, from my experience, sparked curiosity. I was inspired to learn about and become more aware of local issues. I got to understand how I and my community affected the river.
One could even say that it was career-changing! It inspired me to see environmental science as a career, which is my college major. Every time I go to Lonsdale Marsh, I still reminisce about when I was a student trekking through the forest and marsh. It’s amazing to see the change over the years. My goal is to inspire students like myself from communities like Central Falls to be Bay Stewards. The fact that I am a bilingual speaker makes kids more comfortable, knowing that there is someone out there who speaks the same language as them. It’s cool to see that now I am the one providing that spark, excitement and inspiration in the students I work with through this program.
It’s amazing to see by their third field day they are becoming more confident in their field work. I’ve heard many students talk about coming back with their families to introduce them to the marsh and talk to them about what they are doing. For me, it is part of why I love what I do.
Today, we are connecting with more communities throughout the watershed in hopes of educating local neighbors on local issues. Working with high school students, especially in an urban community on the Blackstone River, is important to us. I take a lot of pride in my community. I feel like I have to give back and hand out the knowledge to students and community members of Central Falls. I hope to also inspire kids from Central Falls to look into science fields to help the community. By connecting students with green spaces that are in their backyard, it may inspire them to pursue a career in the sciences or environmental advocacy.
When I do my introduction, we write a little intro—and maybe it’s the best way to close this article out. “I am a graduate from Central Falls. I am the first in my family to finish high school and college.” Letting kids know that while these are my accomplishments, it can be theirs, too, should they want it to be.