BSC Marine Biology Program At Via Aquarium
Submitted by Rachel Turetsky
Mr. Matthew Christian’s Marine Biology and independent study students at Berlin Middle-High School presented their baby sharks to the Via Aquarium in Rotterdam on April 9 and 16.
They also presented skates, Cassiopeia jellyfish and Moon jellyfish, all raised in Mr. Christian’s unique Marine Biology program—one of only two in New York State.
“I want to be a vet and having the chance to identify and study the growth of a skate from its embryo has been awesome,” said junior Bianca Walters.
The Berlin students also learned about plumbing and carpentry with the building of their tanks to raise the marine life. Dedication to maintaining tank water levels, feeding the fish, keeping records, and critical thinking became part of their daily routine.
The students raised jellyfish from polyps and sharks and skates from embryos. Over the past two weeks they traveled several times to the Via Aquarium to hand over their precious marine life.
The students also presented their recorded observations to senior aquarists at Via, Julie McNulty and Bellamy Reynolds. The aquarists talked about their careers and shared the love they have for Marine Biology.
“My first introduction to Marine Biology was in college,” said Bellamy. “Having the opportunity to study it in high school would have been so amazing.”
There was even more excitement when Spectrum News’s anchor, Dan Bazile, visited Berlin with a camera crew to film a video about the program.
A link to the video can be found at berlincentral.org.
There is more excitement to come next year with the completion of the school’s new science wing and its Marine Biology lab.