Introduction:

We’re Team Blue Gills, our members include:

Joseph Tomaro (Freshman. Major – Finance)

Edward Ye (Freshman. Major – Business)

Luke Whelan (Freshman. Major – Business)

(Left To Right: Joey, Luke, Edward)

Our Team:

Hello, my name is Joey Tomaro. I’m a first-year student here at Penn State Berks majoring in Finance and I’m from Belvidere, NJ. I decided to take this course because I’ve always found nature interesting and have wanted to learn more ever since I was young. I was the team liaison of our group managing communications between both environmental educator Jen Reimer, and my groupmates regarding community service hours, and managing our projects entirety. I recommend this course to anyone who strives to making a change in society because this is a perfect start to just that.

Hello, my name is Edward Ye. I’m a first-year Business major at Penn State Berks, and I’m originally from Connecticut. I chose to take this course because I wanted something that connected learning with real community involvement. I’ve always enjoyed being outdoors, but I also wanted to understand how environmental issues relate to everyday life and the choices we make. In our group project, I contributed to planning, research, and the hands-on work we completed at the site. Being part of a team showed me how small efforts can add up when everyone participates, and it helped me appreciate the impact students can have when working together.

Hello, my name is Luke Whelan. I’m a first-year student here at Penn State Berks majoring in Business and I’m from Shrewsbury, PA. I decided to take this course because I find the environment and the stuff constantly around us interesting. I was a contributor to our group and helped work on stuff and get community service hours. I recommend this course to anyone who strives to make a change in society.

Research:

For our research, our issue was invasive species. More specifically Honeysuckle, Porcelain Berries, and other organisms and how it affects the environment they occupy. We learned that invasive species spread quickly because they are brought to new places through human activities like trade, travel, and landscaping, and they thrive in disturbed or changing habitats. They also reproduce rapidly and outcompete native plants for resources. Our group examined the social and economic impacts as well, such as how invasive plants make parks less appealing and how costly it can be for communities and farmers to remove them. We then looked at solutions, including avoiding the movement of plants, reporting unfamiliar species, and using both manual and chemical control methods to manage their growth. Overall, our research showed how widespread the problem is and highlighted practical steps that communities can take to reduce the impact of invasive species.

Research Video:

Service:

During this Semester, we had the opportunity to work with Wyomissing Borough at the Wyomissing Parklands.

Jen Reimer, the environmental educator at the Wyomissing Parklands was in charge of running the organization and began by going over the parklands future goals and what she wanted us to accomplish since this is their first year running it. She introduced us to the ecological challenges the Parklands faces especially the threat of invasive plants and guided us through the hands-on work of helping to manage them. Our project focused on supporting the park’s efforts to protect native habitats and maintain a healthy ecosystem by removing the invasives that took over most of the riparian buffer. Understanding how these invasives behave helped us realize why removal is so important for the long-term health of the Parklands.

Service Video

Team Reflection

By the end of our EACAP project, we were proud to see the real difference we made in the Wyomissing Borough Parklands. As a team, we dedicated roughly 25 hours of hands-on community service to help restore the health and appearance of the area. The results were immediately noticeable as the sections we worked on looked cleaner, more open, and far more welcoming for both wildlife and visitors. Seeing the transformation reminded us that our time and effort truly played such a big role in a positive change in the park. Knowing that we helped improve the environment, even in a small part of the park, gave us a strong sense of accomplishment and purpose. It showed us that when people step up and take action, positive change can happen quickly. We hope that in future years, more students, volunteers, and community teams continue the work we started.