The Value of Field Research in High School Science Education - Davis Y.

Hello! My name is Davis, and I attended Acton Academy from 2015 to 2022. The project-based education approach of Acton made a lifelong impression on me, and I carried these values forward to my high school studies. I’d like to share with you a significant experiential learning activity which I did, and I hope it will inspire you to consider finding a similar experience for yourself or your teenage child. 

In summer 2024, I partnered with Ecology Project International in the Galapagos Islands, where I saw firsthand how policy, science, and community must come together for meaningful conservation. I joined a trip in which 12 students and 4 adults went to the Galapagos. The trip was organized by Stanford Online High School, the school I attended after I graduated from Acton. I grew up loving camping and hiking, and was eager to immerse myself in a new ecosystem.

During our research trip, we learned about marine biology and Darwinism. We had a few short lectures on safe field research and dove right into hands-on learning. Starting on the island of Santa-Cruz, we helped tag giant tortoises by locating them, tracking their weight, and marking them. In order to weigh these 100+ lbs animals, we needed many volunteers to help flip them over (safely) then pick them up while holding a scale before gently putting them back. The next part of our journey was on Isabella Island, where the group went on a snorkeling trip to track sharks for wildlife databases. We swam through a very narrow lagoon, so narrow that we could touch both sides of the rock walls, with sharks sleeping on the seabed just six feet below us. This experience has deepened my love and understanding of nature and how important it is for us to be active in its preservation.

My favorite memory of the trip was snorkeling with the sharks, since not only were there the native White-Tipped Sharks, but we were also able to spot sea turtles, Blue-Footed Boobies, sea lions, and much more marine life.

Experiential learning matters because the memories we create when more senses are engaged will last the longest in life. This shift is especially powerful in environmental science, where the subject is literally how to protect the world around us. Experiential learning engages visual memory, physical movement, emotional responses especially of doing teamwork or presentations, and problem-solving. 

This creates stronger neural connections than passive listening. Therefore, I learned so much about the need for collaboration in ocean preservation that I want to study political science alongside environmental science to become the best advocate for sustainability that I can be.

Too often, sustainability is sidelined as inconvenient or expensive, leaving vulnerable communities to shoulder the worst impacts of pollution and climate change. Looking ahead, I hope to advance environmental advocacy through business innovation—motivating companies to pursue green practices not only for profit, but for the planet.