Portsmouth Rotary makes a donation to Greenland Central School: Seacoast education news

Portsmouth Rotary makes donation to Greenland school's rock wall

GREENLAND — Thanks to the Portsmouth Rotary, Greenland Central School will be able to have a second 12’ rock wall installed and used during P.E. classes and after school activities. Justin Finn, president of the Portsmouth Rotary Club, said: “Portsmouth Rotary has been helping the Seacoast community for 99 years, and providing great opportunities for kids in Greenland is consistent with our efforts to make the greater Portsmouth area a better place for all.”

The current rock wall at Greenland Central School is a representation of students’ incredible fundraising efforts for the American Heart Association. GCS has participated in The Kids Heart Challenge fundraiser for the past nine years, raising over $57,000.  US Games, a provider of P.E. equipment, rewards schools with gift certificates to use towards purchasing new P.E. equipment. GCS has received two 4-foot by 10-foot traverse panels and safety mats with these earned gift certificates. In 2019, Stacey Gosselin received a Clipper Grant of $2,000 to purchase two additional traverse panels and safety mats. With Portsmouth Rotary’s donation, GCS will be able to complete the goal of having two 12-foot traverse walls for students to use.

Climbing activities, such as using the rock wall, is a non-traditional, lifetime sport.  Students can increase their climbing endurance, set goals, and challenge themselves when climbing. Giving students the opportunity to climb in P.E. class or after school, may lead to a physical activity that students will continue to enjoy for the rest of their lives.

NH Teacher of the Year wins school bus drag race

CONCORD — New Hampshire’s 2022 Teacher of the Year, Sara Casassa, has one more achievement to add to her growing list of accolades.

Casassa received the coveted trophy and bragging rights as the winner of the New Hampshire Lottery Educational Cup Challenge, an unforgettable extra credit assignment.

At the New England Dragway in Epping, Casassa sat behind the wheel of a mini school bus on Saturday and raced Vermont’s Teacher of the Year Karen McCalla. The pair of school buses raced on the quarter-mile drag strip, but Casassa put the pedal to the metal to win the sixth annual event that raises awareness for the more than $2.3 billion and counting the New Hampshire Lottery has generated for education in the Granite State since its inception in 1964.

“I was a little nervous, to be honest, but I knew I had to embrace this opportunity. I was relieved when it was done, and it turned out to be a really fun race,” said Casassa, a language arts teacher at Barnard School in South Hampton. “I was focused on driving as fast as I could, but once I hit the finish line, I realized that I had to actually figure out how to stop the bus. Many of my students were there lined up along the fence holding signs and cheering me on. It was fantastic.”

Seacoast Science Center presents marine science award

RYE — Adrianna George of Milford, N.H. was honored for her achievement in the Marine Science Fellowship Program at the Seacoast Science Center. The Outstanding Achievement Award is given annually to the high school student who has excelled in the program and shows great aptitude for the field of marine science. This honor comes with a financial award to help the recipient pursue their college career.

This year’s recipient developed a strong interest in marine science from a young age. Adrianna attended summer camp at Seacoast Science Center in elementary and middle school, enrolled in marine biology camp during high school, then was accepted to participate in two semesters of the Marine Science Fellowship program. During her fellowship program, she conducted research on the effects of ocean acidification on different kinds of mollusks and also completed a study of periwinkle behavior.

“Adrianna is truly deserving of this special recognition, said Sean McKenna, director of the Marine Science Fellowship program. “She has worked hard, has great leadership skills and her eagerness to learn set her apart from other candidates. I’m happy to hear that she is enrolled at the University of New Hampshire for the fall to pursue an undergraduate degree in animal science. We have no doubt she will be very successful.”

During Marine Biology Camp, Adrianna credits a session on dissection with helping set her career goals. “On dissection day, we were supposed to dissect a squid and a dogfish, but a few minutes before we began, the Center’s Marine Mammal Rescue team arrived with a deceased seal that was available for necropsy to try to determine cause of death,” she explained. “I was nervous; I had never dissected something that large but once we got into it, I couldn’t be pulled away from the table. I was fascinated with the necropsy and realized I wanted to do more work like this in the future. My goal is to become a veterinary pathologist, which will involve many more years of study.”

Each year, Seacoast Science Center offers two semesters of the Marine Science Fellowship Program. This class is designed to give high school sophomores, juniors, or seniors hands-on learning experiences in the field of marine science. Students explore a variety of topics, discuss career paths and meet different scientists within the field. Participants design their own research project and present their findings to others. Students may also have an opportunity to earn credit through their school via either the New Hampshire Learn Everywhere or Extended Learning Opportunities programs.

Seacoast Science Center is located in Odiorne Point State Park in Rye, N.H. For more information on Seacoast Science Center’s Marine Science Fellowship Program, please visit www.seacoastsciencecenter.org.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Portsmouth NH Rotary makes a donation to Greenland Central School