Members of the Islip Middle School student government spent a day in May learning about environmental conservation. Traveling to West Meadow Beach in Stony Brook, the students met with a local park ranger and a representative from the Department of Environmental Conservation to learn about the marsh area and the marine life that lives within the marsh.

Following this lesson, the students spent the remainder of the day tagging horseshoe crabs and rescuing terrapin turtles. By tagging the horseshoe crabs, park officials will be able to gather data on distribution, movement and other important details on the life cycle of the marine life.

In addition to attending the field trip, the student government also raised funds to help the environmental cause. The money raised was donated to Friends of Flax Pond, which promotes stewardship and preserves the natural beauty, ecological significance and distinctive resources of Flax Pond and the surrounding coastal areas.