By Matt O’Hara

If you’re interested in conservation, community service or even just spending February vacation in a land guaranteed to be much warmer than snowy New England, Mrs. Emerson is looking for you.

The HHS science teacher has planned 8-day service trip  to the Dominican Republic which will teach students about the importance of coral reefs in the environment, and how overfishing, tourism and climate change are damaging the coral reefs in the Caribbean. While on the trip, students will team up with Verde Profundo, an organization dedicated to rebuilding coral reefs, to gather coral reef shards that have been separated from their reefs and have washed up on Dominican beaches. The students will then transplant the fragments back into the reefs and help preserve the important, but fragile, ocean ecosystem. Students will also meet with marine biologists to learn about different types of coral reefs and their impact on the environment. When the students have downtime, they can educate themselves about the interesting culture of the Dominican Republic and explore the beautiful area, while participating in memorable activities such as snorkeling.

Only a few spots remain for the trip, according to Mrs. Emerson, who visited the country herself this summer. “To say the least, it was a profoundly moving and influential experience,” she said.  “I can honestly say that [you] are going to have the experience of a lifetime.”

If you are interested in learning more, please attend the student and parent meeting about the trip on October 4th.