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APES class challenges students and prepares young environmentalists

Evonne Luu making a secchi disc to use in the lake model of the class. Photo by Oscar Vergara.

AP Environmental Science challenges students with an array of projects.

By KAT McDERMOTT
fhspress.com Editor
Posted March 2, 2016

This school year FHS has added a variety of new courses, but AP Environmental Science deserves special recognition.

AP Environmental Science is an integrated science; it involves multiple subjects in one course. In APES, students use earth science, chemistry, physics, and biology at the same time.

Like any other AP class, the objective of AP Environmental Science is to pass the AP exam at the end of the year, but students also learn valuable life skills while in the class. Thinking of solutions to environmental problems requires students to develop situational awareness, critical thinking, and real world problem solving.

AP Environmental Science also focuses on current and local events such as, local weather, the Sacramento Flood Plan, the California Aqueduct System, and our local parks.

“I enjoy being in APES,” says Karina Garza, FHS junior, “we have learned so many things about our environment. We have done a lot of fun projects in APES; we learned how to maintain a worm farm, how to make compost, and we have even started our own garden.”

The worm farm was a major project in the APES class. Students farmed worms to enrich their understanding on soils and how worms function in an ecosystem.

“We learned what type of environment they prefer, what food they eat, and how to change their soil,” said Autumn Wesley, a FHS junior.

Now, the worm castings and compost is utilized in the APES pallet garden.

“We are working on a cool, mini, garden. In the garden, we are featuring a special unit called a pallet garden.” Tom Cao, a FHS junior continues, “It’s made of planks of wood, cardboard, and stands upright to save space. We’re currently growing our own salad. Yummy!”

Along with their garden, APES students and their instructor, Deborah Young, are currently monitoring a lake model with mosquito-eating fish.

A lot of what APES students learns relates to their everyday lives, like learning about the glass in their electronics, the efficiency of their cars, and the impact they make on the environment every day.

Now, the APES students are studying residential waste by cataloging and storing their personal trash for an entire week. They recieve extra credit if they document themselves carrying their trash bag in public; that's real dedication.

“This has been a really fun experience, but it has been tough. It’s hard work, but it pays off in the end because you get a greater understanding of the environment,” said Cruz Barrera, a FHS junior.

Hopefully AP Environmental Science will be a course that schools continue to offer for aspiring environmentalists, hardworking students looking for a challenge, and students who just want an intriging course to show off on their college applications.

kat.mcdermott@fhspress.com

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