Alie Thurston, a naturalist presenter and lifetime summer resident with family dating back to 1914, called Cuttyhunk “the breadbasket of interpretive scientists” and said her favorite part of Old Hammondtown School’s annual trip to the island is “watching the shy students become adventurous by the end of their day.”
The “Island Classroom” trip was held on June 1 in concert with the Mattapoisett Land Trust and the Mattapoisett Cultural Council, which sponsored 61 Old Hammondtown sixth-graders for a scientific day of workshops and activities with the STEAM Academy and island classroom.
“The weather was perfect, and the students had a great time learning about native species, ecosystems, Native Americans and the history of Cuttyhunk,” said Ben Squire, the Elementary Science coordinator for the Old Rochester Regional School District.
Retired Biology educator and director of the MLT Mary Cabral said the students “were totally engaged during all activities and eager to learn.”
Two highlighted outside-classroom workshops included Wampanoag Culture with Gertrude Hendricks Miller, who emphasized respect for animals, people and plants, and Saltmarsh Exploration with Hillary Sullivan Marchwinski, a Northeastern University PhD candidate from Woodwell Climate Research Center.