BRUCE DAVIDSON, Davidson & Associates Insurance (from left to right); Tony Johnson, Davidson & Associates Insurance; Bryce Davidson, Davidson & Associates Insurance and Ali Novinger, Beaches Charity Fund’s “Green Eggs & Ham, Sam I Am.”
The Ridgefield Public Schools Foundation, with support from the Ridgefield Booster Club and Friends of the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge, funded a Science Technology grant to support the Ridgefield High School science program during the 2015-2016 school year.
In total, the $15,100 grant funded 14 laptop computers, 24 Vernier sensors and a laptop storage cart.
RHS science teacher Kara Breuer put the new equipment to use in the field last spring. Through a partnership with the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge, students from RHS science classes were able to collect and investigate soil and water samples from the Refuge's Duck Lake and Boot Lake to determine if the Wapato potatoes that grow nearby were safe to eat.
Using equipment purchased with the Foundation grant and a visit to a chemistry lab at the University of Portland, the students determined the soil and water located around the two lakes were all within typical limits for health risk factors and concluded the area was safe for the harvest of the Wapato potato.
Breuer stated the new equipment and the partnership with the University of Portland “made this a unique and hugely successful learning experience.” She is already making plans to use the equipment for a follow-up experiment next year.
Foundation Board Member Audri Bomar commented on the collaboration that made the grant and the experiment possible.
“The Foundation was one of many partners that made this possible,” she said. “When we all work together we can help dedicated teachers like Ms. Breuer create meaningful learning experiences right in our back yard.”
