This year, Horn Point Laboratory was the host for a High School Science Symposium that has been taking place for several years at the culmination of the Talbot County Public School high school science curriculum. Students must complete a scientific research project that is either experimental or research based, under the tutelage of a professional scientist in the field of study. This year, as in year's past, many of these mentors were scientists from the Cooperative Oxford Laboratory.

LeeAnn Hutchison, Environmental Education Specialist with the Maryland State Department of Education, had the following to say about the program:

One of the biggest impacts that scientists can have is through the education of the public, and in particular, young people in the community in which we live. As part of a teaching strategy, partnering students with scientist mentors translates to a remarkable improvement in comprehension of challenging scientific concepts,and enthusiastic interest in pursuing the environmental field. These students are our future scientists, mathematicians, and engineers; they are our hope that quality research will continue for years to come.

I had the chance, this year, to work with two talented students, Eli Dennis and Nolan Canter, on a different type of project than has been completed in the past; a film documentary. While Dennis and Canter, had originally been drawn to sharks as a research specimen, they found plenty of excitement in a marginally less charismatic organism, Crassostrea virginica, the Eastern Oyster. This year the State of Maryland introduced a Oyster Recovery and Aquaculture Development Plan that set off a debate about fisheries management.

As it turned out, the topic selected by the blooming documentarians, was quite timely. The very next day, following the presentation of the documentary, Maryland Governor, Martin O'Malley, and Secretary of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, John Griffin, announced that they would be sending a new Oyster Recovery and Aquaculture Development Plan to the State Legislature's Joint Committee on Administrative, Executive and Legislative Review (AELR) for approval.

The plan was applauded by many citizens, environmentalists and scientists, with the reception from watermen remaining less enthusiastic. The regulations will be published in the Maryland register on July 2. A six-week public comment and hearing period will follow. If approved, the regulations would take effect in time for the Oct. 1 start of oyster season. Official Maryland DNR information on the regulations can be found here.

I was so inspired by the good work completed by Eli and Nolan that I decided to dabble in the process of film making myself. With the help of other IAN members, I filmed part of the plan announcement. I think I might need some more practice but everyone has to start somewhere.