Over 150 Lincoln Academy students and staff participate in a beach cleanup at Reid State Park in September. (Photo courtesy Lincoln Academy)
On Sept. 20, 150 ninth grade students and 13 teachers from Lincoln Academy went to Reid State Park to participate in the Ocean Conservancy’s 35th annual International Coastal Cleanup Program.
This was the second year in a row that the entire ninth grade class has participated in a beach cleanup with two goals: bringing the class together for a service project, and contributing to research about ocean trash.
In about two hours, the group collected 30 trash bags and more than 850 items weighing around 400 pounds.
The group did an inventory of the items they found to support the Ocean Conservancy’s research project tracking ocean trash. The vast majority of the trash was foam and plastic pieces, followed by lumber and plastic and foam packaging.
“There was so much plastic and foam. I’m glad we had a chance to help clean it up,” said freshman Erin MacCorkle.
Lincoln Academy ninth graders Calvin Wicks and Tryston Lambert move washed up lumber off the beach at Reid State Park as part of Lincoln Academys beach cleanup field trip. (Photo courtesy Lincoln Academy)
All data was sent to the state of Maine to be compiled in the Global Ocean Trash Index database. Scientists use the data to identify trends and to develop solutions.
“There was a lot of building debris on the beach from recent storms and students did a great job jumping in to help remove some pretty big items,” said LA science teacher Betsy Grannis, who spearheaded the project. “The park ranger on duty was very grateful and impressed by all the lumber the students were able to clear from the beach.”
After the project, students presented their findings to the entire school during a Friday community meeting in October. In response to the issue of global ocean pollution, the student presenters suggested large scale solutions including legislation and corporate efforts to limit plastic waste, as well as actions individuals can take, like limiting their use of single use plastics, and not littering in or near the ocean.
Grannis plans to continue the tradition of a ninth grade beach cleanup next year.
“It’s a great way to have the class do a group service project and learn something at the same time,” she said. “And September is the perfect time of year to spend a day at the beach.”
