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The Faith Academy 8th-grade class attended a field trip on Wednesday, March 29 to visit the Freeman Aquifer Research and Data Center located on the San Marcos River on the campus of Texas State University. Faith Academy students collected macroinvertebrates in the San Marcos River and studied their connection to the school’s religious principles.
The mission of these junior scientists included catching and identifying as many species of invertebrates as possible. They learned that the number of species of macroinvertebrates, which are invertebrates we can see with the unaided eye, can help determine the quality of water and the amount of pollution found in the river. The number of species is recorded to monitor the current state of the river, the watershed and the Edwards Aquifer which is recharged with the watershed. Students learned the taxonomy of the many tiny animals living in the river. The FA eighth graders also were allowed to observe the collection of animals from the aquifer source just steps away from the Freeman building. Tiny clear shrimp and isopods were recovered from the drill hole that allows the spring water to flow to the location on Texas State’s campus. They also learned of the Texas Blind Salamander, native only to the Edwards Aquifer, as well as the blind catfish that swim in the Aquifer. A new species of Blind catfish was discovered this year.
The Edwards aquifer spans a large distance underground from north of Austin, through San Marcos and westward past San Antonio, serving as a source of water for many locations in Texas. Before returning, the 8th-grade class traveled to the famous “Aquarena Springs” glass-bottom boat tour now run by Texas State University. The tour guides told the lore and legends of the springs, and students had the opportunity to see the underwater life around that feeds the lake. There was an abundance of wildlife in the springs, including an osprey and other animals in the trees near the lake. The eighth graders completed their field trip near a 350-year-old Cypress tree on the shore of the spring fed lake.
Faith Academy would like to thank Texas State University, The Freeman Aquifer Research and Data Center, and especially Ben Hutchins and Kelli Donajkowski, the scientists from The Freeman Center who led the 8th-grade group. The group included staff members Greg Hein and Chris Johnson and students Abigail Bashaw, Faith Brooks, Riley Cornell, Wyatt Davis, Sara DeVoke, Kelton Galle, Joshua Hardy, Riley Heyman, Jayleen Jackson, Kade Jacobs, Taylor Johnson, Kayleigh Kendrick, Samantha Lamm, Connor Landrum, Ellis Lanham, Kayden Marcotte, Samara Moltz, Dyllan Olivares, Zoie Parrish and Saley Speckmaier. The Academy also sends a special thanks to the six parents who chaperoned the trip.
