Students see volcano up close

BRUSH PRAIRIE — Students at Battle Ground’s Center for Agriculture, Science and Environmental Education had the opportunity to explore Mount St. Helens during an overnight field trip to collect data. Twenty-six students in the program are monitoring how various plant species are recovering from the 1980 eruption. On the first day, students hiked to Spirit Lake to explore the Ape Cave and Lava Canyon. On the second day, they worked on data collection. Eventually, they will develop and finalize a research question based on their findings, and the project will end with a presentation. “The MSHI STEM Ecology program has been a great opportunity for students to learn and apply disturbance ecology and scientific methods firsthand,” CASEE instructor Irene Catlin said in a news release. “It promotes high-level thinking, problem solving, and teamwork, and is highly engaging. Rich experiences like this are extremely memorable, and it helps students truly connect what they learn to the real world.”