HEC Round-Up: From Sustainable Surfing to the Power of Storytelling

Maine Coast Semester reserves the last academic week of each semester for Human Ecology Capstone projects, (often called HEC week here on campus). Human ecology is the study of human interaction with the natural world, and HEC projects give students the opportunity to explore a topic of deep, personal interest, come to understand it in a holistic way, and present a viable course of action. Through their projects, students come to understand the interconnectedness of the world’s ecosystems and practice the environmental literacy fostered in their other classes.

Semester 59 presented their HEC projects last Friday to faculty, peers, Chewonki staff and numerous community members. Students choose to explore a wide range of topics and presented environmental policy proposals, learning plans, handmade books and creative infographics. Here’s a quick recap of all the projects presented by Semester 59:

Kyra, Newark Academy, Short Hills, NJ – Incentivizing Biodeisel For New Jersey Consumers

Gretel, The Big Picture Program, South Burlington High School, Underhill, VT – Connection Between Children And Their Environment

Arielle, Nightingale Bamford, New York, NY – Bringing Awareness To The Harms Of Fast Fashion

Phoebe, Dwight Englewood, New York, NY – Classrooms And Animal Therapy Take A Wonki Turn

Maya, Arlington High School, Arlington, MA – Chewonki Cookbook Based On Local Seasonality

Diana, Concord Academy, Bronx, NY – Food Access In New York City

Stefanie, The Thacher School, Lake Forest, IL – Trap Shooting And The Environment: Reduction Of Impact At Thacher’s Shooting Range

Matt, Waynflete, Phippsburg, ME – Creating Communication For Maine’s Lobster Fishing Industry

Tyler, Trevor Day School, New York, NY – The Chewonki Bathroom Revolution

Grace, The Nueva School, Woodside, CA – Encouraging Sustainable Living Through Tiny Homes

Sam, Charlotte Country Day School, Charlotte, NC – Viewing Nature Beyond The Lens Of Self

Adam, Seacrest Country Day School, Naples FL – Improvement Of Heating Efficiency In Semester Cabins

Sophia, Casco Bay High School, Portland, ME – The Power Of Storytelling In A Polarized World

Emmy, The Thacher School, Mill Valley, CA – Meat Consumption Reduction Within The Thacher School: Benefits And Feasibility

Dominic, Millbrook School, Redhook, NY – Buy Local, Make Local, Sell Local

Clara, The Dalton School, New York, NY – Design And Implementation Plan For A Pedal Powered Root Washing System At Salt Marsh Farm, Wiscasset, Me

Theo, Croton-Harmon High School, Croton-on-Hudson, NY – Seeing Our Soils: Long-term Soil Sample Data At Chewonki

Amelia, The Chapin School, New York, NY – Chewonki’s Native American History

Emily, Mt. Ararat High School, Bowdoin, ME – Herbalism: Making Medicine With Plants

Mia, Drew School, San Francisco, CA – Healing Paws And Animals

Grant, The Westminster Schools, Atlanta, GA – Nonprofits And Chewonki: How Can You Monetize Impact?

Aino, Dexter Regional High School, Exeter, ME – The Impact Of Plastic Utensils

Andrew, Seacrest Country Day School, Naples, FL – A Guide To The Fungal Species Of Chewonki Neck

Savy, The Spence School, New York, NY – How Chewonki Neck Can Sustainably Maintain The Maximum Amount Of Quahogs

Sarah, Milton Academy, Glen Spey, NY– Nature Deficit Disorder: How Does Nature Affect Wellbeing?

Oliver, South Kent, Nanjing, China  – Re-respecting Food: Food Loss

Reid, Shining Mountain Waldorf School, Boulder, CO – If There’s A Will, There’s A Wave

Juls, Walled Lake Central High School, West Bloomfield, MI – Solar Panels For Walled Lake Central

Phoebe, The Prout School, Wakefield, RI – Designed A Rainwater Rinse Shower At Chewonki

Anna, Mount Desert Island High School, Bar Harbor, ME – Fencing In The East Side Pasture Restoration, Chewonki Neck

John, Wayzata High School, Medina, MN – The Making And Breaking Of Habits

Ray, The Packer Collegiate Institute, Brooklyn, NY – Mealworms: A Meat Alternative

Maya, The Cambridge School of Weston, Newton, MA – The Whole Picture: The Glorification Of Maine’s Blueberry Industry

Sydney, Nightingale Bamford, New York, NY – Introduction To Navigation For Self-confidence In Outdoor Classroom Students

Lily, The Brearley School, New York, NY – Women And The Woods: A Zine

Sascha, Casco Bay High School, Portland, ME – Integrated Social Justice Into Educational Systems At Casco Bay And Chewonki Schools

Cali, The Bay School, San Francisco, CA – How Immigration Affects Children’s Education

Fer, The Westminster Schools, Atlanta, GA – Making Westminster School Green

Ariel, Camden Hills Regional High School, Hope, ME – Honey Bees: The Threat Of Humans

Lucy, The Chapin School, New York, NY – Lack Of Transparency Between Companies And Consumers In The Free Range Chicken Market

Ava, Crossroads School for Arts and Sciences, Los Angeles, CA – Make It Yourself

Anna, Harbor High School, Santa Cruz, CA – Composting And Landfill Waste Reduction At Harbor High School

Lucie, St. Paul Academy and Summit School, St. Paul, MN – Produce For The People

Niku, Moses Brown, Providence, RI – The Advantages And Implications Of A Community Bicycle Fleet At Chewonki

Andrei, Concord Academy, Chukhrai, Russia – Telescope Revival

Congrats, Semester 59, on a great HEC week!