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Ames Lake Project: Our Goal by Ames Lake Media Member Karla Xinastle Cleveland Quality Middle School has been trying to help Ames Lake. Our goal is to help the watershed. How much can we do? “I think that even if it’s just us 56 kids and 7 teachers, we can make a big difference,” says Althea Fletcher, member of the Ames Lake Project. Our school, Cleveland Quality Middle School has been helping Ames Lake, located at Phalen. Ames Lake is a lake that once was drained out to make a shopping mall on that land. Sadly the shopping mall didn’t work due to its constant flooding. So they decided to take it out, leaving the lake polluted, thanks to all the trash made by the mall. Cleveland Quality Middle School’s Ames Lakes Project students have been going to Ames Lake for the past eight years. On field trips, we have learned about Ames Lake’s past, we have seen how it is now, and how we can help it, to change for the future. Also, during our fieldtrips, we have been picking up trash and checking how clean the water is. In just one day, for hours, we filled bags full of trash. It was hard work, but we were proud of ourselves in the end. And in our water testing, we have seen the water has improved. Little by little, maybe not today or tomorrow, or next week, but sooner or later, we’ll do it. We’ll accomplish our goal. How? Well, by keeping up with what we’re doing. Picking up trash and cleaning and testing the water. Also, by the example we set for others; to help our watershed. Helping not only our community, but even maybe state, region, country, continent or even world. Sounds corny? Yeah, but heck, if corny helps, corny it will be. Only one thing is certain, our goal will be accomplished. Media Group Media Group Member Karla Xinastle Cleveland Quality Middle School has a group of challenge science and geography students. This large group is divided into five smaller groups. One of the groups consists of media members. What is this group exactly? What do they do? The media group consists of doing mainly what media does; taking pictures of the Ames Lake Project, (Project consists of the five groups. The main goal is to save the watershed.) write newsletter articles, and conduct interviews. Their main priority is to let people (the public) know what the Ames Lake Project is all about and what kind of activities they do. One of the media group’s activities is to take pictures of the many things we do during our fieldtrips. Pictures of picking up trash, pulling out invasive species plants, (garlic mustard, buckthorn, etc.) checking the water, our walks and the group’s teamwork. We use these pictures to put on the Internet, in newsletters, posters, PowerPoint presentations, etc. Another activity is to interview people. We interview the Ames Lake Project members about what they think of their experiences. We also interview people not from the school, to see what they think of what Cleveland Quality Middle School is doing to help the watershed. We try to find out the most to see what we can do to improve work for Ames Lake Project students. We also write articles, the articles are another way to inform the public. The media group likes to inform parents, other students and other schools of what we do to help the watershed and how they can also help. We would like people to know more about our project. The Media group’s main priority is to inform. Thanks to the hard work of this group, many people can find out about the Ames Lake Project and how they can help to save the watershed. Mapping of Payne Avenue by Ames Lake Media Member Brenda Do you know what Payne Avenue used to look like? Well, we went for a walk on Payne Avenue. Ms. McCambridge, a teacher at Cleveland provided us with pictures of Payne Avenue from the early 1900’s. We got to compare how Payne Avenue used to look back then and now. Our group looked at the pictures back then, and then we got to sketch out the real thing today. Almost everything looked different. The streets had railroads, and the cars and some of the buildings looked different in design. Today, some of the buildings are the same, just that they are remodeled differently. A Walk to the Past by Ames Lake Media Members Pao, Salomon, Raphael, Alex, Karla, and Bao On October 25, 2005, our school went to a legendary place called Swede Hollow. In which, it has big and amazing tales to tell. You have to read on. Back in the years of the 1850’s the poor immigrants used Swede hollow as their home. On top of that, on a hill were the mansion and the brewery of the Hamm’s family. The mansion disappeared by arson, but the brewery still stands to this day. As we went through on our walk of Swede Hollow, we pulled out invasive species such as buckthorn and garlic mustard. It was hard work, but fun. Kare 11 News joined our educational walk through this legendary place. Footage of the trip was aired November 10th during “What’s Cool in your School.” Before we knew it, the journey was done. It was tiring and we ended a mess, but we had fun. Saving Native Plants Ames Lake Media Member Bao Thao Wouldn’t you want to feel proud of what you’ve done to help the environment? Well, Cleveland Quality Middle School students sure feel proud and happy of themselves. The 25th of October 2005, the students from Cleveland that are involved in the Ames Lake Project took a fieldtrip to Swede Hollow. There, they pulled out invasive species that have been harming the native plants that live in the area. Buckthorn and garlic mustard are the plants that were being pulled out. About an hour was spent doing the task. Students got to use weed wrenches to take the big buckthorn out. Those who didn’t have a weed wrench or didn’t want to use it pulled out garlic mustard. The garlic mustard was put into piles on the walkway, and later, a truck came to pick it up. The buckthorn was also put on the walkway and later picked up because they were too big to be put into trash bags. “It’s really hard work, but you feel satisfaction because you know that you’re helping nature,” stated Karla Xinastle, a Cleveland student in the Media group, part of the Ames Lake Project. If invasive plants aren’t being pulled out, some native plants could go into extinction. In fact, Cleveland students are not only helping the environment, but saving the future of some plants. Next year when spring comes, the students will be taking another trip to Swede Hollow to pull out invasive species. Dan Arnold, Art and Design group, part of the Ames Lake Project said, “We had this really big buckthorn. It was so hard and it nearly took the whole time. When it finally came out, it was worth it, helping the environment and stuff.” The students are looking forward to going again. Would you like to pull out invasive species again during your free time? “Yes, I would because it helps protect the environment’s animals and it’s pretty fun.” -Kong Yang, Ecology group “Yes, because it’s killing our plants.” -Tou Vang, Ecology group Trash Saving Energy! by Ames Lake Media Member Asia Lockhart Cleveland students visited Newport on November 10, 2005 The students found out some amazing things. They met two workers at Newport. They gave students a tour through the Resource Recycling Center. They saw about 19 tons of trash from Ramsey County residents alone! “The smell was unbearable!” Karla Xinastle, a student, stated. After that, the workers showed a movie showing the carelessness of people in Minnesota, and how much trash is gathered each day. Also, the movie was comparing Newport to other companies, and how their company helped to save energy without using our earth’s resources. Students learned that Newport burns their trash to send and save energy for houses, buildings, apartments, etc. The students saw the control rooms, and saw how everything works, and what happens in an emergency. Overall, students enjoyed the educational trip to Newport. They believe in trying to send your trash to NRG/Newport down in Washington County and saving energy! Image Gallery:
Cleveland J.H.'s Ames Lake Project Image Gallery:
Water Quality Tests May 2007 |
