October 30, 2015 at 2:23 p.m.
Middle school students learn about science careers
Middle school students learn about science careers
The visit was part of the school's Science Career Day curriculum.
"Science impacts so many areas of our lives and continues to be a growing job market, therefore it is very important for students to learn about different career options in the various science fields," said Kim Bowman, a science teacher at JWMS.
Bowman said many students were interested in the topic of AIS and intrigued by the possibility of pursuing a career focused on protecting the natural resources of the Northwoods.
"Most liked the idea that they could spend so much time outdoors and on the water while making a difference for our area," Bowman said.
Sadauskas explained how she and her staff are working to remove dangerous invasives from local lakes.
She noted her job requires a varied skill set, including knowledge of math, science, history, art and computers.
"(I) explained how computers help us perform educational outreach, data analysis, map design, etc," Sadauskas said. "Our jobs are so diverse and we wanted the students to see this. For example, I told the students, 'Today I'm here talking with you, tomorrow I might be on a lake looking for AIS.'"
In 2011, when Sadauskas took the position of Oneida County AIS Coordinator, the county's land and water conservation department had minimal school partnerships and connections.
That started to change in 2012 when the department began working with Theresa Werner's fifth-grade class from Central Intermediate School.
"Thereafter, our student contacts have grown larger and larger each year," Sadauskas said. "For example, in 2015 we've worked with just over 1,000 students! Being that we were talking with seventh and eighth graders, some of the more 'AIS-accomplished' students might have been part of Mrs. Werner's fifth-grade class of 2012."
The students asked a lot of questions including how long Sadausakas attended college, what lakes she has been on and what her department does in the winter.
Sadauskas said she loves interacting with students and helping to spark their interest in science.
"A big part of my job is to spread the word about invasive species, but personally I love showing students how much fun science is, what awesome science careers are out there, and that girls can do great things in science," she said.
Mason Durkee, a seventh-grader, was intrigued by the presentation.
He said he liked learning about research and thought it would be something interesting to do.
He was also aware of how important the work Sadauskas does is for community and the environment.
"I really think we should learn more about AIS," he said.
"I think it's pretty cool that they get to go out on the lakes a lot and see the cool stuff," added seventh-grader Ross Skeen.
Ava Stauter said she was surprised by the number of aquatic invasive species there are in the Northwoods.
She said she would be interested in this profession because she "would like to be on the lakes a lot."
Delaney Chillemi, a seventh-grader, was impressed with the presenters.
"I thought that this job seemed pretty awesome," she said. "I can't believe they have to make their own reports and maps."
She also gained knowledge of how destructive AIS can be to the environment.
"I learned that invasive species are a big threat to the ecosystem," she added.
Bowman was thankful that the professionals were interested in teaching the students about what they do.
"Michele Sadauskas and Stephanie Boismenue (lead project assistant) are experts on the subject and did a great job of involving the students in a hands-on, critical-thinking activity," Bowman said. "We are very fortunate to have them and other area scientists willing to come in and present to our students."
Kayla Breese may be reached at [email protected].
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