Suffolk Reporter

Tangier Smith Elementary School's third-grade students recently participated in a virtual session with Jared Collins, an alumnus of William Floyd High School and a current doctoral student at the University of Colorado, Boulder. Collins is conducting scientific research in Antarctica as part of his PhD studies in Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering.

Collins, who attended Tangier Smith Elementary and William Paca Middle School, aims to become a hydrologist for the U.S. Geological Survey after completing his education. His research is conducted under the McMurdo Dry Valleys Long Term Ecological Research program, which collects environmental and biological data in Antarctica's largest ice-free area. He leads the Stream Team, focusing on stream ecosystems' biological processes under different conditions.

The students learned about Antarctica through their social studies curriculum, including reading "La Foca Perdida, The Lost Seal," a bilingual children's book by Diane McKnight, one of Collins' professors. This book was donated to Tangier Smith Elementary and tells a true story about research scientists in Antarctica.

The culmination of their studies was a video call with Collins from Antarctica. During this session, he shared insights into his travel experiences, living conditions, diet, local wildlife encounters, geography, and research activities. Students had the opportunity to ask questions directly to Collins about life and work in Antarctica.

This experience provided students with an engaging way to learn about global environments through direct interaction. Teachers Michele Montalbano and Caitlin Contes highlighted this activity as an example of how the school district supports successful alumni like Collins. Traci Collins, Jared's mother and a teaching assistant at Tangier Smith Elementary School, witnessed her son's presentation and interactions with the students.