Congratulations GCS class of 2011! This group was my first cohort at Groton. Here is a picture of some of them during a spring Adopt-a-Highway cleanup many years ago.  I look forward to seeing them do wonderful things in their adult lives.

Friday marked the last day of the school year. I really enjoyed working with this year's 7th grade class...my last at Groton Middle School. The good news is that I will see them again in 10th grade and look forward to these students that have blossomed over the past year.

Have a good summer guys and remember to be good role models as 8th graders next year. Keep in touch!

The ecology unit means spending some time in the outdoor classroom. Yesterday we read a section from the book The Last American Man and made observations along the GCS Nature Trail.

Today we played "Hungry Birds" in class. Not every member of this species was equal though. Variations in beak structure gave some an advantage to illustrate the process of natural selection.

Taking temperature and pH readings from various depths of Cayuga Lake.

Two great days on the Cayuga Lake floating classroom! Here, a group gets ready to collect aquatic insects in Salmon Creek.

Today, some members of the middle school environmental club participated in the annual Adopt-a-highway cleanup. What great weather as well! Thank you Courtney, Austin, Luke, Sam, and Colton. You helped make Groton more beautiful.

We finally got some good weather and mud-free banks on the Owasco Inlet to let our Browns go. We released them this morning in the midst of a midge hatch...nature's reassurance that our little guys will be properly fed! We're all looking forward to the upcoming Floating Classroom trip on May 19 and 20.

Today in class we will be learning more about genetics and DNA.

Step 1: Open another tab in explorer. Run though this groovy animation about apples. Please pay attention and read the descriptions carefully.

Step 2: On the same tab bring up this website.

Step 3: Now, tour the six animations at the top of this page.

You're done for the day.

In between rain, we've been planting trees that were donated to the school from the DEC and Baker-Miller Lumber. Here, members of 1st period plant pine trees next to the track.

Science Night was, once again, a huge success. Thanks again to all of the volunteers that donated time and snacks. And of course...what awesome projects!

Members of Food, Land, and You have been busy in the student garden. Today we planted 2 beds of fall-bearing raspberries. Last week we got a bed of asparagus and 3 beds of strawberries planted. The cafeteria is excited!

Today, seniors DeAnna, Hayley, and Stephanie presented a class on healthy eating to the 7th graders and highlighted a cool website, www.foodfacts.com. I had DeAnna and Hayley in my class the first year I was a teacher at Groton. They did an excellent job and I wish them well next year when they enter college. This was a part of the New Visions program all three attend. Above, Star and Tristan sample Waldorf salad, humus, and pita chips that the presenters prepared for us as an example of a healthy snack.

Recipe:

Ingredients
3 tart apples - peeled, cored and chopped 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 cup seedless grapes 2 stalks celery, chopped 2 green onions, chopped 2 tablespoons mayonnaise 2 tablespoons plain yogurt 3 tablespoons apple juice 1/4 teaspoon celery seed 1 bunch watercress, trimmed and chopped 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts

Directions
In a large bowl, combine the apples and lemon juice. Add the grapes, celery, and green onions; toss.
In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, yogurt, apple juice and celery seeds. Spoon over the apple mixture, and toss gently.
Wash the watercress, and dry thoroughly. Arrange greens on individual salad plates. Mound the apple mixture on top, and sprinkle with the walnuts.

Nutritional Information
Amount Per Serving Calories: 180 | Total Fat: 8.7g | Cholesterol: 4mg
Via: allrecipes.com

Tompkins Youth Rally for their Future

200 local students join Youth Power Summit on April 9 in Ithaca

On Saturday April 9, up to 200 young people from across Tompkins County
and Central New York will converge in Ithaca for the “Youth Power
Summit”, scheduled for 9:30 AM to 5 PM at the Holiday Inn. The summit
will educate, energize, and empower high school and college students for
a day of strengthening movements for clean energy, local food, and
social justice in their schools and communities.

“We are excited to bring together young leaders from all backgrounds
calling for bold action to build a clean energy and local food economy
that respects all communities.” said Megan Ludgate, Dryden High School
junior and member of the summit organizing team. “April 9 is about
empowering ourselves to lead this change.”

The summit is free and open to all, and will include lunch, workshops
for youth and educators, presentations, and action planning sessions.
Key organizers include students of the Lehman Alternative Community
School, New Roots, Ithaca High School, Dryden High School, Ithaca
College and Cornell University.

“Youth in Tompkins County are coming of age amid increasing crises,”
said Jordan Stark, Lehman Alternative Community School senior and member
of the organizing team. “When we look around, we see climate change
and threats to our water from gas drilling, a lack of jobs and
opportunity, and young people struggling to find meaning in our lives.
This summit will help us come together to create a better future in our
community.”

The summit features a panel of local young elected officials, including
Ithaca City Council members Svante Myrick and Eddie Rooker, Tompkins
County Legislator Nathan Shinagawa, Caroline Town Councilmember Dominic
Frongillo, and Binghamton City Councilmember Lea Webb. The elected
leaders will discuss their experiences in office and how young people
can engage in the political process.

“We are excited to announce an all-star panel of young elected
officials,” said Ariana Shapiro, Ithaca High School senior and member of
the organizing team. “These leaders are on the front lines of change
and will help inspire other young people to get involved.”

Youth will share updates on campaigns at their school and plan for
future efforts. Workshops on local food, social justice, political
activism, hydraulic fracturing, and energy efficiency are also planned.

“This summit is about coming together to build a better future for all,”
said Dominic Frongillo, Caroline Town Councilmember and Cooperative
Extension community energy educator. “We are saying ‘Let’s create
equity in our schools. Let’s measure progress not by the number of
people in jail, but by the number of people from our community who are
hired in good jobs upgrading our homes for energy efficiency. Let’s grow
our people as well as our food.’”

The all-day summit will begin with a “Generation Waking Up Experience,”
focusing on new ways young people are joining together for positive change.

“Both locally and nationally, young people are waking up and seeing an
opportunity to build a thriving, just, and sustainable future that
includes everybody,” said Doug Indrick, senior at Ithaca College and
member of the “GenUp” facilitator team. “The message on April 9 is
youth are building power to create our future.”

The summit is the weekend before 200 students from Tompkins County will
attend Power Shift 2011, a national youth summit April 15-18 in
Washington D.C. Over 10,000 young leaders will converge for the historic
summit, which will include the nation’s largest congressional lobby day.
According to the website, the Power Shift 2011 summit aims to “reclaim
our democracy from big corporations and push our nation to move beyond
dirty energy sources that are harming the health of people and the
planet.” Information on the national conference is online at
www.powershift2011.org.

“We are the leaders we’ve been waiting for,” said Vicky Morgan, Cornell
sophomore and member of KyotoNow! student group. “I have a sense of
urgency. We cannot wait another 5 years to address climate change and
social justice. I want us to look back and say, at this critical
moment, we rose to meet our challenges.”

** Registration for the Youth Power Summit in Ithaca is online at
http://tinyurl.com/youthpowersummit. **

For more information about the Youth Power Summit, visit Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=169766716409303

Today, members of Food, Land, and You started seeds to sell at Science Night. Donations will go toward a fund for future crops and activities in the GCS student garden.

I don't think I need to post anything more than this picture. I am so proud of the student body at Groton middle and high school.

Bill stopped by to add to our Voicethread. Check it out and add to the project!

Today we examined the contents of owl pellets. We found a good diversity of small mammals but no birds like we've seen in previous years.

YOUTH POWER SUMMIT | April 9 | Ithaca NY

On April 9, over 100 students and youth across Central New York will converge in Ithaca for the largest-ever regional gathering of young people uniting together for clean energy solutions. The Youth Power Summit will empower young people from every background to join together for clean energy, local food, and social justice in our schools and communities.

EMPOWER YOURSELF
• Stand together with young leaders from all backgrounds calling for bold action on clean energy, local food, and social justice
• Get inspired by youth-led efforts that are changing schools and communities across the region
• Share your story and collaborate with youth leaders, educators, and youth supporters
• Get plugged in to emerging campaigns and programs that are making an impact
• Going to Power Shift 2011? Handle logistics and connect with others headed to Washington D.C. for the national Power Shift summit April 15-18

REGISTER TODAY
http://tinyurl.com/youthpowersummit