During their freshman year, most STJ students are introduced to a university program called Academic Service Learning (ASL). The program is integrated into classes in order to give students course-related community service experiences they can then reflect on. For my Discover New York class this semester, I will be doing my ASL at Alley Pond Environmental Center (APEC) in Douglaston, Queens. In order to learn more, I attended an orientation session at the site on Saturday, September 24, which happened to be a very lively day there because it was also "Estuary Day."
The orientation turned out to be a very interesting and fun experience, as I got to learn more about APEC and the wildlife contained there. We listened to talks at different stations with STJ Professors Cantelmo, Lazrus, Nieter, and Pacula. We got to see red-tailed hawks, and also learned about the invasive porcelain berry plants, which will need to be removed from trees as part of our service. The rest of the tour took us to the estuary and the wooden trails, and it ended with Professor Nieter, who directs the ASL program at APEC, showing us various tools we will be using. Since I really enjoyed the orientation, I am now eager to begin my service learning!
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| Many thanks to my professor, Dr. Lazrus, for sending this picture of me and three fellow students (left to right: Justin, me, Will, and John) on the Alley Pond boardwalk. |
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