ALLEGRA BOVERMAN/Staff photo. Gloucester Daily Times. Rockport: Rockport Middle School eighth graders gather with NOAA scientists during a research trip to Millbrook Park and Front Beach on Thursday morning. From left taking notes are Samantha Coveney, Meghan Aiello, Kate Kennedy and Nina Burton. The class is conducting research upon water and soil quality, invasive plants, invasive crabs and the American Eel (juvenile & adult) population in the Millbrook watershed area. This is the fourth year that NOAA has supported the field trip, designed and run by Carolyn McWilliams, a Rockport Middle School eighth grade science teacher. Also in attendance were six NOAA summer interns and six NOAA scientists who interact closely with a 1:4 scientist/student ratio. The eighth graders completed 20 stations within MIllbrook Park and Front Beach in the areas of Life Science, Earth Science & Physical Science, as their culminating middle school science event. They share their longitudinal data with NOAA about this area.

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