December 5, 2003
Anne Albright
Maitland Middle School
1901 Choctaw Trail
Maitland, FL 32751
(407) 623-1462
1234 East Concord Street
Orlando, FL 32803
To Whom It May Concern,
Please accept this letter of support of the Cambrian Foundation for their outstanding educational outreach programs. My name is Dr. Anne Albright and as a science teacher at Maitland Middle School, I had the opportunity to collaborate with the Cambrian Foundation in enhancing my students’ knowledge of science.
Last year, while in our environment unit, my students studied ecosystems and biomes. To enhance my students understanding and appreciation of our environment, I contacted the Cambrian Foundation to schedule a presentation. Both Terrence Tysall and Amy Giannotti came to Maitland Middle School to speak to 150 of my students about the importance of protecting our endangered ecosystems, biomes, and cultural resources. Specifically, Terrence and Amy were able to illustrate for students the positive and negative impacts that humans can have on nature in three very dynamic environments: the world’s second largest barrier reef in Belize, the coastal regions of the Solomon Islands, and the threatened aquifers of Florida’s limestone plateau. Because of this educational outreach opportunity, my students were able to better understand how the actions of one individual can easily affect an entire population of organisms.
In addition to this presentation, the Cambrian Foundation assisted me in assigning a follow-up activity where my students were recognized partners with the Cambrian Foundation’s researchers and explorers in Akumal, Mexico. During this two week expedition my students corresponded via email and the internet with a research dive team to learn about underwater cave surveying, the impacts of pollutants on shallow aquifers and their inhabitants, and the importance of understanding hydrologic flow in a polluted area of the Yucatan peninsula. My students and I very much enjoyed this experience – it led to some pretty interesting class discussions! This experience not only allowed my students to participate in a research expedition, but it also incorporated technology into the science curriculum. As a science teacher, I am most appreciative that my students had an opportunity to learn firsthand how human contributions to environmental science will help protect our delicate ecosystems for future generations.
Being able to use community resources such as the Cambrian Foundation to support what students are learning in science class gave my students a wonderful opportunity to extend and enrich their science knowledge! I very much look forward to collaborating with the Cambrian Foundation again this year!
Sincerely,
Anne Albright, Ed.D., NBCT
Science Teacher
Maitland Middle School