Wildwood Middle School Partnership
The Wildwood Middle School 8th grade Agriculture and Natural Resources classes have been testing the Elk Branch tributary in Shenandoah Junction twice a month since the beginning of October. This is in partnership with the Eastern Panhandle Conservation District (EPCD) and the Elks Run Study Committee (ERSC) as part of an EPCD grant sponsored by ERSC. The students are under the direction of Mrs. Charity Marstiller (agriculture teacher) and Mrs. Norleen Hoadley, with assistance from Dr. James Hoadley (pictured below). The students are involved in testing pH, dissolved oxygen, phosphates, nitrates, turbidity, alkalinity and fecal coliform. They will be participating in a teleconference at the beginning of March to compare their results with those taken by Harpers Ferry Middle School (HFMS) students who are currently testing the Elks Run. In April, the agriculture students will be participating in a hike at Harpers Ferry National Park to test the water in the Shenandoah River. They will then analyze their results and compare them with the results from the Elk Branch and Elks Run tributaries. Later they will hand over the water testing duties to the Wildwood Middle School Environmental Club under the direction of Mrs. Carolyn Thomas (7th grade science teacher and club sponsor) and Mrs. Norleen Hoadley (teacher and club sponsor). The plan is for the Environmental Club to continue the testing twice a month and to also teleconference in late spring with the students from HFMS.