Teeland Middle School is celebrating 10-year anniversary

WASILLA — The River Rangers program at Teeland Middle School, which has introduced more than 2,000 seventh-grade science students to the world of river ecology and stewardship, is celebrating its 10th anniversary.

Organized by teachers Mike Shea and Rhett Buchanan, the project gives middle school students the opportunity to learn outside of the classroom, trading desks and chairs for entire ecosystems.

River Rangers have been present in damaged areas on the Little Susitna River, Cottonwood Creek, Elk Creek and Wasilla Creek. In these environments, students are offered the chance to learn about their local riparian zones through a number of perspectives.

One part of the project involves collecting useful data on the river area, including sampling macroinvertebrates, measuring water flow volume, and analyzing the river’s chemistry. This research process is not only great hands-on experience for the students’ data-collecting skills, but also provides local conservation organizations with valuable, annual information.

Indeed, local organizations like the Wasilla Soil and Water Conservation District and Alaska Fish and Game have previously benefited from the reports constructed through the River Rangers project.

Another aspect of the program’s design is river restoration and maintenance. In addition to research, students are tasked with cleaning the river areas, not only of human pollution, but also in some years of invasive species. Besides cleaning up trash from around the banks of the rivers, students, staff and volunteers have also worked to uniquely improve the riparian areas for human use. The Rangers post signs with information on proper river use and make four-wheeler trails into smaller walking paths. This latter effort abates the negative effects of mud and fuel in the streams, which disturb salmon migration.

Teeland seventh-graders also develop a strong sense of community through the project. Local volunteers help with the efforts of the program, so the Rangers are working alongside their neighbors. By working on the rivers in their backyards, the students also uncover the idea that “it’s their community, and they need to take care of it,” Shea said.

The River Rangers program has received due recognition. Not only have Buchanan and Shea been presented with Outstanding Achievement Awards from the Alaska Forum on the Environment, but the Alaska Environmental Literacy Plan has also previously included the project’s design.

The River Rangers are also featured in an episode of the CBS TV series “Aqua Kids”, a show focusing on aquatic concerns and undertakings around the world.

The 10th anniversary of River Rangers marks years of a successful project, which has stayed true to its original model as “a way for kids to get outside and [experience] real science,” according to Shea. The seventh-grade science teachers hope that the future of the project proves the positive effects of learning outside the classroom, and would like to see the same integration in other subjects.

For the time being, however, Buchanan, Shea and all the previous Rangers can certainly be proud of their accomplishments over the past decade. The project also shows no signs of slowing down, as the science teachers are continuously inspired by “having kids come back year after year and [River Rangers] is the highlight of their education”, said Shea.

As in past years, the program will end on Tuesday with a cleanup of Wonderland Park in Wasilla, a tradition that will this year be a monument to 10 years of excellence in both community work and education.