STOCKBRIDGE STUDENTS HEADING TO AMERICAN SAMOA

revised 2/16

Front Row (L-R): Hailee Fraser-Gutting, Molly Nichols, Katelyn Knieper, Kaitlin Miller, Michelle Zemke Back Row (L-R): Bob Richards, Hailey Howard, Kael Bunce, Baylee Heidrich, Sylvia Whitt, Chelsey Asquith, Julia Marhofer. Photo credit: User supplied image.

The Stockbridge InvenTeam announced Feb. 14 that it has been invited to conduct research, test equipment and conduct an educational outreach project in the National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa, Nov. 21 to Dec. 4, 2018.

Stockbridge InvenTeam members, a subset of students in the Stockbridge High School robotics program, will travel to American Samoa in the Pacific. Team members include Michelle Zemke, Katelyn Knieper, Chloe Miner, Kael Bunce, Baylee Heidrich, Sylvia Whitt, Chelsey Asquith, Molly Nichols, Julia Marhofer, Hailee Fraser-Gutting, Katie Miller, and Hailey Howard. The team’s faculty mentor is Stockbridge Jr./Sr. High School teacher Bob Richards.

“Being invited to work in the National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa is not only a great honor, it is also a very challenging project,” Richards said. “I feel our students are up for the challenge and excited for the opportunity.”

Student Julia Marhofer, a member of the InvenTeam, said, “Exploring the waters and culture of American Samoa will be an amazing adventure. I am looking forward to capturing this once in a lifetime experience on film.”

Other team members also referred to the expedition as an opportunity of a lifetime. “Not only being able to travel,” Katelyn Knieper added, “but also having the chance to teach and inspire children from different areas of the world is amazing. This is something I have always wanted to do, and the fact that this program gives me the opportunity is unbelievable. I can’t wait to finally experience these things this upcoming fall.”

The National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa, located in the cradle of Polynesia’s oldest culture, is thought to support the greatest diversity of marine life in the National Marine Sanctuary System. The sanctuary protects extensive coral reefs, including some of the oldest and largest Porites coral heads in the world, deep water reefs, hydrothermal vent communities and rare marine archaeological resources.

National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa ONMS Sentinel Site, Pacific Region. View of coral reef with divers swimming in the background. Photo credit: National Marine Sanctuaries – NOAA.

The teams’ project aims to inspire, engage, and educate students while providing a unique research experience in one of America’s underwater parks. The project has three major goals: (1) to conduct a bottom fish study around Aunu’u Island (2) to conduct a study of Palolo worm spawning, and (3) to connect with a school in American Samoa to share knowledge and culture between students, and conduct a STEM program.

Students will spend the next 10 months building a new Remotely Operated Vehicle or ROV, a baited underwater camera system and a benthic lander, in addition to raising funds for the project.

As InvenTeam member Michelle Zemke aptly put it, “Going to American Samoa while educating and inspiring young minds of the future is not an opportunity that many high school students receive.” She added, “I am looking forward to deploying our ROV along with our Camera and Water Quality Monitoring system to assist the National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa in this unique research project.”

Molly Nichols reflected her teammates’ reactions when she declared, “I am beyond grateful for the experience that this team is giving me. The opportunity to travel across the globe to American Samoa is something I never thought would have happen–not only getting a chance to go there but having the opportunity to make a change.”

The Stockbridge InvenTeam will conduct its first fundraiser, a comedy night and silent auction, March 3 at the American Legion Hall. Tickets sell for $30 each or $50 per couple (18+) and may be purchased at Positively Chiropractic or by contacting Kaci Howard at (517)-937-5651. (See separate posting.)

For further information contact Mr. Richards or Michelle Zemke (517) 851-7770 Ext. 6205.

Scope of project:

Expedition to the National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa

The Stockbridge InvenTeam has been invited to conduct research, test equipment and conduct an educational outreach project in The National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa, Nov. 21 to Dec. 4, 2018.

The National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa is located in the cradle of Polynesia’s oldest culture and thought to support the greatest diversity of marine life in the National Marine Sanctuary System. According to a NMSAS fact sheet, “The sanctuary protects extensive coral reefs, including some of the oldest and largest Porites coral heads in the world, deep water reefs, hydrothermal vent communities and rare marine archaeological resources.”

This project aims to Inspire, Engage, and Educate students while providing a unique research experience in one of America’s underwater parks. The project has three major goals: (1) to conduct a bottom fish study around Aunu’u Island (2) to conduct a study of Palolo worm spawning, and (3) to connect with a school in American Samoa to share knowledge and culture between students, and conduct a STEM program.

Goal 1: Data collection to assist with NMSAS species monitoring: establish a current species assemblage and demography baseline for the bottomfish complex around Aunu’u Island. Students will deploy Benthic Landers, ROVs and Underwater Camera Systems under the supervision of NMSAS staff to conduct this study.

The waters around Aunu’u Island are culturally important areas for the subsistence catch of bottomfish. The National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa (NMSAS) has two management areas around Aunu’u Island, one of which is closed to bottom fishing. However, very little is currently known about the bottomfish complex in the sanctuary and adjacent areas.

Goal 2: Data collection to assist with NMSAS species monitoring: conduct a study of Palolo worm spawning. Students will deploy underwater camera systems and ROVs to collect video of Palolo worms leaving their burrows.

Palolo is the edible portion of a polychaete worm (Eunice viridis) that lives in shallow coral reefs throughout the south central Pacific. Palolo are about 12 inches long and live in burrows dug into the coral pavement on the outer reef flat. The swarming of Palolo is a classic example of the coordinated mass spawning of a simple marine organism. The worms emerge from their burrows during a specific phase of the moon. (http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/basch/uhnpscesu/htmsu5Atlas/parti.htm)

Goal 3: To connect with a school in American Samoa to share knowledge and culture between students, and conduct a STEM program.

Working with the Education and Outreach Coordinator for NMSAS, the team will partner with a school, students and teachers in American Samoa to learn about the uses of marine technology in the NMSAS. The team will also spend a day attending school in American Samoa and Samoan students will have an opportunity to work with the Stockbridge Team in the sanctuary. This will provide students with a cross-cultural learning experience, sharing the knowledge of ROVs and other marine technology while learning about the culture of American Samoa. The project will also be documented through video, and students will create films for the Thunder Bay International Film Festival.

Expected results:

1. Collect baseline data for benthic fish communities within Aunu‘u Island Management Areas.
2. Capture video of Palolo worms leaving their burrow during a mass spawning         event.
3. To Inspire, Engage, and Educate 250 Stockbridge Jr./Sr. High School students in grades 7-12 by providing a unique engineering and research experience.
4. To Inspire, Engage, and Educate 25 students in American Samoa by conducting a student led ROV workshop.
5. To Inspire, Engage, and Educate 200 K-6 students enrolled in Stockbridge Community Schools by providing expedition related STEM curriculum.
6. Students will design, build and deploy an ROV, Benthic Lander and Underwater Camera and Water Quality Monitoring system to be used for research in the National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa.
7. Students will learn to collect and use remotely sensed data; and the use of advanced computing systems, such as GIS, for organizing and managing data.
8. Students will learn the use of electronics and microelectronics for power, controls, and miniaturization in a remote, harsh environment.
9. Stockbridge and Samoan students will document the expedition through video and create a film for the Thunder Bay International Film Festival and the San Francisco International Ocean Film Festival.
10. Students will deliver presentations about their experience on the expedition at the 2019 Great Lakes Regional ROV Competition, Underwater Interventions 2019 and to the American Geophysical Union’s Bright Stars Program.

Benefits to ocean conservation:

This project will help the sanctuary establish a current species assemblage and demography baseline for the bottomfish complex around Aunu’u Island. The data collected will aid sanctuary managers in the development of long term monitoring programs and sustainable, adaptive management strategies.

Benefits for STEM Education:

The Stockbridge InvenTeam’s Expedition to the National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa provides students will an important original research project designed to Inspire, Engage, and Educate. The expedition will involve over 400 students enrolled in Stockbridge Community Schools as well as students in Samoa. In addition to developing 21st century STEM skills, the project will promote awareness of the National Marine Sanctuary System, and of the National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa and appreciation for this special place in Polynesia for present and future generations.

The National Marine Sanctuary System:

NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries serves as the trustee for a network of underwater parks encompassing more than 600,000 square miles of marine and Great Lakes waters. The network includes a system of 13 national marine sanctuaries and Papahānaumokuākea and Rose Atoll marine national monuments. The system works with diverse partners and stakeholders to promote responsible, sustainable ocean uses that ensure the health of our most valued ocean places.

The National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa and the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary have a special bond and history of collaboration. The Stockbridge InvenTeam’s Expedition to American Samoa is a product of this special bond. It is with this bond in mind we seek to Inspire, Engage, and Educate students while preserving the extraordinary scenic beauty, biodiversity, historical connections and economic productivity of our most precious underwater treasures.