Galloway, N.J. — Savannah Spinelli peered through the microscope to examine the leaf litter sample
she pulled from Lake Fred earlier in the day.
Working for years at a Girl Scout camp, the Absegami High School senior loves nature,
so she was excited to look for any microorganisms she could find.
“I’ve come to Stockton before, but this is a little bit different. This is right up
my alley,” the Galloway Township native said. “I should have brought my rain boots,
honestly, because I would have been in that water immediately. I’m not afraid to get
dirty and get wet. I’ll just go into the water anywhere.”
Absegami High School senior Savannah Spinelli examines some of the leaf little sample
she collected around Lake Fred. Spinelli has committed to Stockton and plans to major
in a science program.
Spinelli was one of about 40 students from Absegami, Cedar Creek and Oakcrest high
schools who visited Stockton University on Dec. 5 for the first Environmental Science and Dual-Credit Program Outreach Event.
The event was created by Shawn Manuola, the administrator of Stockton’s high school dual-credit program, and Jessica Hallagan, an associate professor of Environmental Science, to give high
school juniors and seniors an opportunity to visit classrooms on campus, meet faculty
and ask questions about the different parts of the environmental sciences, such as
wildlife ecology, hydrology, water quality and soil science.
Stockton’s dual-credit program offers high school students a chance to get a jump
start on college and save money by earning college credits and completing high school
course requirements simultaneously. Students participating get a reduced tuition rate
of $100 per credit or $400 for each four-credit course, with all additional fees waived.
In comparison, a four-credit course at Stockton normally costs $2,450. The university
offers nearly 100 different dual-credit courses, including an “Intro to Environmental
Studies” class, and partners with high schools in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware.
“The itinerary is going to really show the students what a day in the life is for
a Stockton student,” Manuola said. “It’s a great opportunity and we are really encouraging
the students to ask questions.”
After an introduction to some of the faculty members, the students separated into
two groups — one to examine the soil around Lake Fred, while the other took water
readings and recovered leaf litter samples to be examined later in a classroom.
“We thought it would be really neat to bring them here to see the field experiences
that we give our students,” said Hallagan, who led the soil examinations with the
students. “These kids, they want to be outside. This is what the students have the
most fun with — the hands-on stuff, the what-are-you-going-to-be-doing-with-your-future-career
kind of stuff.”
Absegami junior Vivian Liu also retrieved one of the leaf litters during the group
that took measurements on the hydrology and water quality around Lake Fred.
“I think hands-on is a lot better than being in a classroom because I don’t really
learn by notes and writing it down,” said the Galloway Township native who says she’s
interested in ocean and marine biology. “I need a hands-on experience to really stimulate
my brain.”
She was especially excited to take a tour of the sugarbush at the Stockon Maple Project where Education Specialist Debby Sommers demonstrated how sap is collected from red
maple tree taps and then boiled to make syrup.
Liu, whose sister attends Stockton, said the outreach day definitely left a favorable
impression with her about the Galloway campus.
I think hands-on is a lot better than being in a classroom because I don’t really
learn by notes and writing it down. I need a hands-on experience to really stimulate
my brain.”
“Obviously, there are so many colleges to consider, but with the dual-credit and the
head start you get, it definitely makes it more attractive to go here. It’s so close
(to home),” she said.
In addition to receiving credits before enrolling at the university, the dual-credit
program also helps high schoolers learn how to get around Stockton, register for classes
and communicate with professors, said Bre Baker, an Advanced Placement Environmental
Science teacher at Absegami.
“To actually meet the people who you are going to spend a lot of time with, I think
that’s really important, especially in the sciences,” said Baker, who graduated from
Stockton with a bachelor’s degree in Marine Science in 1999 and a bachelor’s degree in Education in 2001. “A day like this, someone can say something that completely changes a student’s
trajectory or where they want to go, who they want to spend four years with and what
classes they want to take.”
Baker, who also teaches a Stockton class titled “Scientific Inquiry,” added that the
immersive aspects of spending the entire day on campus is invaluable.
“It’s not just a tour. They are sitting in the chairs and using and touching the equipment,”
she said as she assisted her students with a microscope in the same Stockton classroom
she teaches in. “They are with their friends. It’s more of an experience than a lot
of kids get on any kind of college tour.”
Spinelli didn’t need any convincing. She was accepted to Stockton in October and plans
to major in a science program.
“Environmental science, or maybe marine science or sustainability,” she said when
asked about her potential major. “But I also want to minor in fine arts. I’m really
into sculpture.
“That’s why I picked Stockton because I can actually do both here. I can have the
different choices.”
— Story by Mark Melhorn, photos by Susan Allen
