Groundswell student showcase highlights stewardship, research

For two years, Emma Witkovsky’s fifth graders at Aberdeen Academy have been studying an insect integral to the food chain and a bioindicator of Michigan’s watersheds and waterways — the stonefly. 

But, with limited resources, Witkovsky said she couldn’t develop the class as fully as she envisioned. This school year, a friend encouraged her to connect with the Groundswell Stewardship Initiative , where she found the resources and assistance she needed.

“I had a friend tell me I had to work with Groundswell,” Witkovsky said. “They said you'll get resources that you otherwise would have to borrow or beg for, and I want to start bringing in more community partners, like Trout Unlimited.”

After months of wading into local streams to analyze water quality and track the insect, Witkovsky’s class had its moment to shine as one of 27 projects on display at Groundswell’s Student Project Showcase on May 13 at the DeVos Center on the Pew City Campus.

“Stewardship projects like these at the showcase demonstrate how local efforts make a big impact, and how no matter your age or your background, you can make a difference in your community,” said Jennifer Drake, provost and executive vice president of Academic Affairs. 

Supporting educators and classrooms with resources and guidance is central to Groundswell’s mission, said Groundswell Director Clayton Pelon.

“What we try to do is connect those outdoor experiences to learning,” said Pelon. “We try to make it as easy as possible for the teachers to teach the way they've always wanted to teach.

“The funding, the faculty, the experts — we provide all of that. So it invigorates those teachers.”

For Witkovsky’s class, Groundswell’s support meant access to additional field equipment, allowing more students to participate. For many of her students, she said, it was their first time exploring and investigating the natural environment.

“The joy of the students constantly surprises me because most don't get into streams or creeks very often,” Witkovsky said. 

“It means a lot to them in overcoming that fear of bugs, if they have it, holding insects and understanding how important they are, and just seeing how much they can do with something that is beyond a fifth-grade level.”

Researching the insect wasn’t the class’s only mission. Two years ago, the students contacted state representatives in the hopes of making the stonefly Michigan’s official state insect of Michigan. 

House Bill 4519 remains under consideration, but Witkovsky said she hopes a final push from her students can help make the designation official. 

“They're excited,” she said. “We’ve been practicing for a presentation to (Rep. Stephen Wooden), and it’s going so well. It’s that excitement that’s really impacted them.”