Periwinkle Snails and Professional Educators: A Fun-filled weekend at LUMCON in Cocodrie, LA

Teachers from West Monroe High School, Ruston High School, Ruston Junior High, Richwood, Sterlington, Dubach School, and SciTEC staff from the Louisiana Tech University College of Education spent the past Saturday and Sunday at the Louisiana University Marine Consortium (LUMCON) in Cocodrie, LA. Activities were lead by Lead Educator, Ms. Murt Conover, and included taking samples off of the coast, identifying the species caught, testing quality and salinity of water, and much more. During a marsh walk participants also had the opportunity to collect, record, and analyze data related to the periwinkle snails that inhabit the area. Participating teachers included Holly Payton, Charity Patricola, Kellyn Powell, Denise Cavin, Blair David, Danni Stuckey, Random Kennedy, and Matthew Vincent. Louisiana Tech staff included Mrs. Diane Madden and Lindsey Keith-Vincent. The visit was part of a year long experiential STEAM pedagogy course offered through the Office of Professional Education Outreach. Participating teachers, selected by their districts, were able to receive a substantial scholarship from Louisiana Tech
University and their respective districts for their participation in the project. Funding was also available to support the teachers in bringing students to explore Tech resources including the new fish eye projection system in the Louisiana Tech Planetarium. That funding was made available through a Board of Regents Enhancement grant awarded for the 2014-2015 year.  This trip follows a visit to the LIGO observatory in Livingston, LA in the fall of 2014 with Dr. Lee Sawyer from the Louisiana Tech Department of Physics. Applications to participate in next year's program will be available May 1 through the SciTEC Office. Should you have questions about such opportunities, please contact the SciTEC staff at scitec@latech.edu. Thanks to Mr. John Price for getting us there and back safely!