by Bridget Cook ’14

Thanks to the National Aquarium and invaluable help from student volunteers, Sherwood now accommodates a new  aquarium in the K-wing courtyard which is used to raise rockfish and saltmarsh grass to help restore the Chesapeake Bay.

AP Environmental Science teacher Laura Dinerman headed the project, and is thrilled at the benefits it will bring. “The idea for an aquarium came from my desire to try to instill a sense of stewardship for the environment into my students,” Dinerman said.  Since 2007, Dinerman has had close ties with the National Aquarium. With its help, as well as grants from the Chesapeake Bay Trust, the project has run smoothly and successfully.

The venture originated in the 2007-2008 school year, when the National Aquarium supplied rockfish which were raised under a tent in the courtyard. The fixture lasted until 2009, but needed a tune-up. “We found that the location of the greenhouse and the tent provided by the National Aquarium for sheltering the structure were inadequate and began to work on an upgrade,” Dinerman said. The fish were moved into the greenhouse for the 2009-2010 school year, but the tank proved difficult to maintain in that location. The school decided to take two years to fund and construct a completely new aquarium to lodge the fish.

The new habitat, called the AquaEcosystem, will be mainly student-run.  Training sessions after school will educate students on how to care for the fish and saltmarsh grass. “Students tend to be very enthusiastic and love to work with the fish,” Dinerman said.

One student volunteer, junior Sophie Evans, is glad to have an outlet for her environmental fervor. “I thought [this project] would be a fun way to help out and earn SSL hours,” said Evans. “I am very excited to be able to help raise the fish.”

Dinerman is enthusiastic about the advantages this project will have. “Students will come away from the project with a sense of empowerment regarding their impact in creating positive change in the world. [They have] gone on to be excellent stewards of the environment.”