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The statewide project included 3,000 students up and down the Hudson River who spent the day going to the river to test water samples, seine for fish and do various other activities.
"We're collecting fish, testing core (river bed) samples, doing chemical tests of the water and testing the current," student Miles Louis said. "I've never done anything like this before, but the class was prepared well for it. Being out here and in the water fives us a great opportunity to experience the river up and it's condition close."
Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Joe Martens, Assistant Commissioner for Water Resources James Tierney and staggers joined staff from the Hudson River Estuary program and students and teachers schools along the Hudson River in the event.
"This experience is very important to young people who live in the Hudson River communities especially," said Libby Murphy, a Climate Outreach Specialist with the DEC who was with the Hastings students. "I grew up around here but schools didn't do much in educating us on our environment in a hands-on project like this. The Hudson River is a great resource for us, and a great educational tool."
Hastings High School science teacher Melissa Shandroff said her student team, which waded into Kinnally Cove with nets to catch river life and tested the waters close to the shore, responded well to the project.
"It's a really well run project..the DEC trains me in how to run each of the (testing) stations," Shandroff said. "The students are down her all the time, but they don't really get a chance to 'see' the water close up and learn about their local environment like this. We teach a lot about the local waterfront cleanup and other issues in class. We hope this makes them more knowledgeable about their own backyard."
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