Category Archives: Projects

No comments

Nature’s Agents Attack Earth Day

  By iho5005 • April 23, 2024 , , ,

Natures Agents!🤫

 

 

Nature’s Agents Team Photo

Who are Nature’s Agents

Ife- My name is Ifeoluwa but I go by Ife for short. I am a second year at Berks majoring in Political Science.

Liz- My name is Elizabeth, I am a sophomore here at Penn State Berks and I am a Criminal Justice Major while also minoring in Psychology. 

Kelly- My name is Kelly, I am a Sophomore here at Penn State Berks currently studying Communication Arts and Sciences.

Research Issue: 

We selected Greenhouse gasses for out research issue. Greenhouse gases are gasses in the atmosphere that raise the surface temperature of the Earth. It disrupts the climate, weather patterns, oceans, and the overall environment. There are different type of gasses consisting of transportation, waste, buildings, and energy. Some of the main causes are by human hand such as the burning of fossil fuels. We hope that through eco-friendly sources and methods we can better the environment. 

Earth Day at Berks Campus

*Click the link in the image to our narrated presentation!

 

Brief Description:

As a group we applied our strengths to Berks County Earth Day 2024…whether that be creativity, leadership, or marketing skill. Over the course of a few months through multiple forms of communication and meetings we gradually pitched into Earth Day. By making posters, maps, data sheets, and helping with logistics we managed to successfully execute this project.  In the picture below we worked at the Infobooth which was like a directory. We would direct exhibitors and volunteers, answer questions, and we sold Earth Day T-shirts which we are wearing in the picture below. 

Ife, Liz, and Kelly at Earth Day at the Infobooth

*Click the link in the image to our service video!

Reflection:

This year, our group has had the privilege to work with the event, Berks County Earth Day 2024. This year marks the 54th anniversary of the event hosted at City Park in Reading. Not only does this event promote community growth but also shows us examples of sustainability and just how valuable our environment is. With live music, entertainment and many exhibits, we are thankful to have been able to be a part of this event in our community. 

 

No comments

BMAK – Final EACAP Post

  By ktf5124 • April 22, 2024 , ,

Team Introduction:

Members (Left to Right)

Matthew D’Haiti –  2nd Year, Accounting Major

Kayla Fenwick – 2nd Year, Business Major

Aviana Armstead-Collado – 3rd year, Psychology Major

Bryan Martinez – 1st Year, Undecided Major

Service

Organization: SouthWest Middle School 

We decided to partner with SouthWest Middle school to clean up, re-beautify, and revive their outdoor garden area. During our service we helped weed their garden boxes, clean up the previous projects that have been overlooked over the seasons, and paint new storage containers to make space more lively. We also decided to add bird feeders to this space to welcome a species into this small community. 


Click the link to watch our Service video: Service Video Slides.pptx

Research 

What was our topic? 

Overgrazing, Land Degradation & Habitat Fragmentation 

Why did we choose it? 

We choose to research these topics based on how much they impacted and influenced the environmental issues it poses to our ecosystems. These three topics in particular all impact ecosystem’s ability to sustain and thrive in major ways that support the organisms living in that distinct space.

 Click the link to watch our Narrated Presentation: Research Presenation.pptx

Reflection 

This project has given us the opportunity to learn more about the issues that are harming our environment, how we ourselves play a role as society in contributing to it, and what we can do moving forward to stop, prevent & help flourish our environment. With being able to give back to surrounding communities like SouthWest Middle School it has opened our eyes to how important it is to create spaces for younger people to learn how to nurture their environment. With this webpage post we hope to send a message that’s informative and motivating to not only youth but to all individuals to get involved with protecting our environment.   

Enjoy These Pictures from Earth Day!

Seed for Change: Planting the Seed for World Change

Gallery

  By Cassandra Krumm • April 17, 2024 , , ,

Team Members

Cassandra Krumm is a third-year psychology major and Business minor at Penn State Berks. Her hobbies include singing, painting, and reading.

Kandis Michael is a first-year student at Penn State Berks. Her hobbies include listening to music and playing with her dogs.

Gabriella Suarez Fernandez is a second-year Finance student at Penn State Berks. Her hobbies include listening to music, eating, and traveling.

Mary Elizondo is a second-year Psychology student at Penn State Berks. Her hobbies include taking nature walks, photography, and baking.

Our Service

We worked with Blue Marsh Lake to remove invasive species from the Squirrel Run nature trail. We removed Japanese barberry and multiflora rose from the trail. Both of these species are invasive in Pennsylvania and have put a strain on our natural ecology. Native plants are being killed and outcompeted by these invasive species.  There are many invasive species that can be found at Blue Marsh Lake, but Japanese barberry and multiflora rose are two of the most aggressive and plentiful species. We worked a total of 32 hours cumulatively and removed about 100 pounds of invasive plant material from the nature trail. We are happy to be able to present the service that we did and despite the difficulties of this project, we are proud of the work we accomplished.

 

Serice overview video

Link: Service Presentation EACAP Narrated.pptx – Google Slides

Our research

Our group decided to research invasive species to further expand our knowledge on this problem. We were already getting a glimpse into the destructive nature of invasive species at Blue Marsh Lake but we were interested to know more. We looked at many aspects of invasive species from how they are implemented into an environment to what can be done to decrease their impacts. Doing research on invasive species as a whole brought more understanding to the service we were doing at Blue Marsh Lake and why it was so important. We looked into many invasive species and how invasive species in general impact the ecosystem. Each invasive species that is present in an ecosystem can cause severe damage so when many invasive species are in one area the damage is substantial. Invasive species interact with the native species in an area often causing the downfall or threatening of native species. Our research allowed us to understand just how widespread an issue invasive species are. We are glad that we are able to present some of our research in order to bring awareness to other people about what they can do to minimize the effects of invasive species and hopefully encourage other people to take action.

Research Overview Video

Link: Invasive Species Presentation Narrated.pptx – Google Slides

Reflection

Throughout this experience we learned a lot about invasive species and the damage that they can cause in our ecosystem. Both Japanese Barberry and Multiflora Rose are aggressive and detrimental to local flora. They grow rapidly and can be extremely difficult to remove due to their complex root systems, thorns, and spikes. Working with the park rangers at Blue Marsh Lake was an informational and positive experience for us all. We all appreciated being able to make a difference in the local wilderness and protect the native species that reside at Blue Marsh Lake. Having a tangible way of measuring our accomplishments was extremely satisfying and helped us to recognize the work that we have accomplished. Although the work was not easy, we are very glad that we completed this project. We have a greater appreciation if volunteers in our community and we are more interested in other volunteer opportunities in the community.

No comments

Education Majors

  By Maggie Sheets • April 16, 2024 , ,

TEAM: Education Majors 

Team Members

Lina Salman- 2nd year- Early Child Education

Hometown – Easton, PA

Future Job – k-4 teacher 

Hobbies – Reading, cooking, volleyball  

Jaredis Flores– 1st year- Early Child education

Hometown – Exeter, PA

Future Job – k-4 teacher

Hobbies – softball, listening to music, and shopping 

Maggie Sheets– 1st year- Early Child Education

Hometown – Turbotville, PA

Future Job – k-4 teacher 

Hobbies – Playing soccer, going to the gym, and getting coffee with friends 

Ashley Barreto– 1st year- Early Child Education

Hometown – Vineland New Jersey

Future Job – K-4 Special Education Teacher 

Hobbies – Working , Shopping , Studying 

We all attend Penn State Berks! 

Our team is researching water pollution, it is when bad things like chemicals, trash, or waste get into the water and make it dirty and unsafe. It’s not good for the fish, plants, or even us humans who use the water. We all need to keep our water clean and healthy for everyone to be safe. It  is the water bodies, usually affect us that have a negative impact on their uses. Water bodies include lakes, rivers, oceans, aquifers, reservoirs and groundwater. The results when it mix with these water bodies.

For our service project, we are helping a local middle school – The Northeast Middle School in Reading, PA. We were able to participate in different activities with the students. We also got to enjoy getting to interact with all the students during snack time for 10-15 minutes every week. We also had the opportunity to present google slides about invasive species. The invasive species we chose to focus on was the spotted lantern fly because it is very wellknown in this area. After we talked about the invasive species, they had to go in small groups and research an invasive species of their choice and make posters with their friends.

Invasive Species Presentation 

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/10pz2kjKukY3qkx5n-zuBuOZf-UUNXvETInblz6sfqJA/edit#slide=id.p

Service Video

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1atLRvhR05wEraWh5GBrvl7jt3xmkSV8O5aXYOKu0lQ4/edit#slide=id.p

Pictures

 

Reflection – Overall, It was an amazing experience. We have a much better understanding about water pollution and how it affects our lives. We learned about how harmful the water gets if there is chemicals or garbage. It’s not good for the plants and animals that live in the water, it can make the water unsafe for us too. We have to keep the water safe and everyone around us as well. We also loved going to the northeast Middle school to teach the students about invasive species. It was a great experience having them do different activities and work on small groups and helping them know better about species. 

No comments

Marsh Madness 2024 | Water Testing

  By Evan Kim • April 11, 2024 ,

Marsh Madness

Hello everyone, our team’s name is Marsh Madness, and our EACAP project was about water testing at various creeks near our campus. Our research mainly focused on the effect of pollutants and runoff from agriculture and waste on water quality.

(From left to right) Our team consisted of:

Will Cressman: 2nd Year Cybersecurity Major

Blake Smith: 2nd Year Secondary Education Major

Evan Kim: 2nd Year Accounting Major

Spencer Vartabedian: 2nd Year Finance Major

Research

Our research mainly consisted of conducting water tests on-site at three different creeks near the Reading, PA, area. Northkill, Plum and Tulpehocken Creek. Through our research, we were able to identify pollutants in the water from various sources, as well as the effect they had on water quality as well as macroinvertebrates.

Different creeks yielded different results, as follows:

Northkill Creek:
Air Temp: 3.1C
Water Temp: 4.3C
Conductivity: 0 (Low contaminants)
pH: 6.8
Phosphate: 0.00ppm
Chloride: 18 mg/L
Nitrates: 0.25mg/L
Dissolved Oxygen: 10.4 mg/L

Plum Creek (Upstream, near a wastewater treatment facility):
Air Temp: 13.8C
Water Temp: N/A
Conductivity: 170 µs/cm
pH: 9.4
Phosphate: 0.00 mg/L
Chloride: 40 mg/L
Nitrate: 0.5 mg/L
Dissolved Oxygen: 10.5 mg/L

Plum Creek (Downstream @ intersection with Tulpehocken Creek):
Air Temp: 13.8C
Water Temp: 11.2C
Conductivity: 280 µs/cm
pH: 8.7
Phosphate: 0.28 mg/L
Chloride: 48 mg/L
Nitrate: 1.5 mg/L
Dissolved Oxygen: 10.4 mg/L

Near the waste treatment facility, there was a significantly lower amount of most tested contaminants/pollutants, and as it went downstream, it collected more.

Research Presentation:

Service

We conducted all the water testing ourselves with the guidance of Steve Tricarico and other volunteers from the TCWA (Tulpehocken Creek Watershed Association). A few of us also went into the water to collect samples, like in the above picture where Will went into the water to collect various macroinvertebrates, which are affected by the substances we tested for in the water.

Service Video:

Symposium Session:

Reflection

Through our participation in on-site water testing with the Tulpehocken Creek Watershed Association, we learned about the various effects of pollutants and runoff on water quality. Working in collaboration with volunteers, most notably Mr. Steve Tricarico, we discovered the different water testing methods and what certain readings and outcomes meant for that creek, such as nitrate levels the pH of the water, and more. During our short experience, it was a great experience to learn about the processes that impact the quality of water, which is a vital part of life on Earth.

No comments

Smiling with Sustainability

  By tjc6357 • April 8, 2024 , , , ,

Introduction

We are Team Sustainable Smiles, and our team member are Tommy, Thomas, Alessandro and Becker.

Tommy – 3-year Management Major.

Thomas – 2-year Communications Major.

Alessandro – 3-year Accounting Major.

Becker – 2-year Risk Management Major.

 

Service

On Sunday March 24, 2024 we joined Berks Nature, and Hay Creek watershed to plant 100 trees on a local farm. This farm was facing severe bank erosion from the stream. By planting 100 trees we were able to create and riparian buffer. This will allow to banks to stabilize and prevent further erosion. The buffer will also help improve water quality by not allowing sediment, and other debris into the water.

Another component of our service was water testing. We tested water from a local stream at Bobs Woods at Earl Poole Sanctuary. By testing our local water we are able to see that the water in our area is in good standing. We tested Dissolved Oxygen, PH, Temperature, Nitrates, and the amount of Phosphates. The overall quality of the water was good, and it did not fail any of the tests.

Our final part of service involved picking up trash at the Berks Nature Center. This is located at Angelica Creek Park. Thankfully there was not too much trash to pick up, but there was still some very weird finds.

Our Service Video: Service Video

Research

We decided to conduct our research on how disposable vapes effect the environment. We found that not only the vapes harm the environment, but lithium mining as a whole adds to the harm. Lithium-ion batteries contain metals such as cobalt, nickel, and manganese, which are toxic and can contaminate water supplies and ecosystems if they leach out of landfills.

Lithium is the main component of vape batteries. This must be mined from brine or hard rock, and it often done unethically. This causes soil degradation, water shortages, and overall harm to our ecosystem. The production of vapes also adds to the greenhouse gasses.

The  main issue is the disposal of these vapes. Most are disposed of improperly which leads to heavy metals and acids leaching into soil, and waterways. This is not only harmful to us, but the wildlife as well. Vapes can often cause fires when chopped up by waste management companies. Vapes are not recycled as frequently as phones, laptops, etc. This leaves a total waste of materials, and hurts our environment. The plastic material that disposable vapes are made of is also a key component. Plastics can take hundreds of years to decompose when not disposed of properly.

To properly dispose of a vape, you should take it to your local hazardous waste collection site. To see the schedule for PA, visit this link https://www.dep.pa.gov/Business/Land/Waste/SolidWaste/HazardousWaste/Household/Pages/HHW-Collection-Programs.aspx. Another good avenue to recycle batteries would be Call2Recycle. To find one near you, click this link https://www.call2recycle.org/locator/.

Our Research Video: Research Video

 

Reflection

All four of us thoroughly enjoyed this project. The service component was a good way to be able to reach out and help local organizations in our community. Through our service we were able to learn how easy and crucial tree planting is. We learned how planting trees along a body of moving water can help strengthen banks, and also benefit the wildlife. Water testing also helped further our understanding of topics we learned in class. It was interesting to be able to apply things from the classroom to our real world.

 

 

No comments

EARTH’S PROMISE: THE GRASS IS ALWAYS GREENER ON OUR SIDE 💚

Video

  By Jillian Gappa • April 8, 2024 , , ,

Hi everyone! We are Earth’s Promise!☀️🧿☮️🍄

Some info about us!

🍄 Eliyod Abiy is a first-year business major at Penn State Berks. His hobbies include watching sports, playing basketball, and being a car enthusiast.

☀️ Jillian Gappa is a first-year psychology major at Penn State Berks. Her hobbies include playing piano, thrifting, and swimming.

☮️ Emma Gaston is a first-year criminology student on a pre-law track at Penn State Berks. Her hobbies include listening to music and reading.

🧿 Colleen Klahr is a second-year Multidisciplinary Studies major at Penn State Berks. Her hobbies include doing theatre, reading (and re-reading), writing, and listening to music.

✨🌿 Come along as we promise to make the grass greener on our side! The 4 promises are Jillian, Emma, Colleen, and Eli. We joined Earth Day at Berks in creating an event that focused on raising environmental awareness in the Reading community! 🌿✨

☀️ 🧿 ☮️ 🍄

OUR RESEARCH / NARRATED PRESENTATION

For our research, we decided to explore the topic of light pollution! Light pollution is when there is excessive or misdirected artificial light.

While doing research, we found important information of the following subtopics: 

  • Causes and consequences of light pollution 
  • Possible solutions for solving the issue of light pollution 
  • Sustainable development goals related to light pollution

To find out more about light pollution and its effects, watch the video below! 

☀️ 🧿 ☮️ 🍄

OUR SERVICE

For the service component of the EACAP project, we collaborated with Bill Letvin of Earth Day at Berks. As part of the marketing committee, we helped out with planning the annual event that was held on April 20th. 

To find out more about our service, watch the video below!

☀️ 🧿 ☮️ 🍄

REFLECTION

Earth day at berks is a wonderful event that provides great information and incentives for people to keep the earth clean! Earth Day provided people with insight on what lies within our environment such as animals, traditions, sediments, etc. Light pollution was our topic for research and we shared with others what they can do individually to help light pollution on earth today, people found it very helpful and interesting! We were able to work with the marketing committee at Earth day so we created posters to entice people to come to earth day!

☀️ 🧿 ☮️ 🍄

Us at the symposium!

☀️ 🧿 ☮️ 🍄

No comments

The Go Go Girls & Birdhouses!

  By Dahlya Livingston • November 29, 2023 , ,

Introduction:

Hi, I am Nathalie Del Rosario. I am a first year student. My major is Criminal Justice and I want to be a detective. My favorite color is blue. I am from New York City. 10 years from now I see myself with my dream job and having my own house traveling. Hi, I am Dahlya Livingston. My favorite color is blue. My major is middle level education. I Am from Atlanta, Georgia. In 10 years I see myself being a principal of a Middle School. Hi, My name is Nakiyah White. I am a 3rd year student studying Psychology. I am from Philadelphia, PA, I love to travel. In 10 years I see myself rich and in my #1 dream car. We Work with Northeast middle school. 

Research: 

The research topic that we are exploring as a group is land pollution. Land pollution is the destruction or a decline in the quality of the earth’s surface as a result of human actions.

Service:

In order to support our research topic we have teamed up with Northeast Middle School to create a learning space for the young growing minds. During our service component we have power washed and weeded the surrounding areas. Painted different beautiful bird houses, also painted a bird tray and provided bird seeds inside the bird tray. This will be beneficial to the students at Northeast Middle School, students get a closer look to wildlife behavior. While also seeing how human causes have consequences to wildlife.

Click HERE view our video!

 

 

 

 

No comments

Team TMNT & Turtle Rescue

  By jjb7077 • November 29, 2023 , ,

Hi we are team TMNT! Our team consists of Jamaal Bokhari, Diana Pon, Krish Bhandary, and Willie Wilson. We are here to help save turtles by building an inexpensive worm farm to feed off of. 

Team Introductions

Hi we are TMNT and we are very excited to share with you what we as a group worked on all semester. Here’s a little bit more about our group members:

Hi, my name is Jamaal, I am a senior currently studying cyber security. My interests are basketball and listening to music. I was the team liaison in this project. 

Hi, my name is Diana and I am a sophomore majoring in finance and play soccer as well as work at cyber cafe.

Hi, my name is Krish, I am a sophomore studying actuarial science, and I lift weights and play the guitar. I like turtles.

Hi, my name is Willie and I am a sophomore majoring in film production. I come from Philadelphia. 

Research Description

The research issue we chose was the decline of turtle populations worldwide due to

unsustainable hunting practices and pollution devastating the ocean. We were looking at the 

Human impact on turtles and the consequences posed by continuing with the same trajectory 

in terms of total turtle populations left.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGRVrEHjLaE

Service Description

We first got a rough idea of a worm farm before getting a tour and layout of Rock Hollow to see what we need to adjust and fix. Most of our pictures consist of the turtle enclosure and the spot we intended to put the worm farm. This allowed us to visualize what the inexpensive, yet effective worm farm will look like in the end. Also in the pictures, we have used many supplies including two plastic bins for the foundation of the worm farm. The first bin is used as the housing for the worms as it includes the dirt, newspaper, and cardboard which make up the bedding for the worms. The second bin is for the worms as well, but is used for drainage instead. Once the worms are done housing themselves in the first bin, they will move to the second bin where there will be the bedding as well. The lid will be there as well including holes for the worms to breathe.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7KfO58jbM4

Reflection

The EACAP project as a whole was very informative and allowed us as a group to see the world through a different lens. One of the components we gained from doing this project is awareness. I have become more aware of preserving areas where there would be wildlife depending on it. Worms are given an area where it is safe for them to live and eat their food while having sun and water available to them. Another component we learned as a group from doing this project was sustainability. Sustainability means keeping our environment clean and avoiding littering. Often, people do not think about marine life, but it affects mammals when you litter in their ocean. Turtles, for example, are already a dying species so littering in the ocean and contributing to toxic and unhealthy ocean life is not good. We as a group learned this and will continue to practice this going forward by doing simple things like recycling and avoiding littering. Our message to youths and individuals globally is to treat your environment, the way you would want to be treated. Treat it with care and purpose and make the world a better place. 

Poster session

Additional Pictures

No comments

The Blue Marsh Boys take on Invasive Species!

  By Jayden Meincke-stoltzfus • October 23, 2023 , ,

The Blue Marsh Boys 

Members (left to right): 

Peter Myers (Sophomore, IST Major)

Jayden Meincke-Stoltzfus (Sophomore, CAS Major)

Jase Graybill (Senior, Criminal Justice Major)

Omar Youssef (Senior, Cyber Security Major)

Service: 

Our team worked with Blue Marsh Lake, northwest of Reading PA to spread awareness on the invasive species that inhabit and are damaging the area. The several invasive species found at Blue Marsh create a complex problem, not only for the ecosystem and its native species, but also for the team there that expends copious time and resources into their removal. This negates the park’s ability to put their energy towards improving the park and recreation there as well as fostering healthy habitats for Pennsylvania’s natural species.

The four species we decided to focus on were the Multiflora Rose, the Amur Honeysuckle, the Eurasian Watermilfoil and the Rusty Crayfish.

Research: 

For the research portion of our EACAP project, our team decided to veer away and choose a completely different topic then we had for our service. We took an immediate interest in the nuclear weapons topic and therefore, decided to research that. In our research we learned about the various ways that nuclear weapons can cause environmental degradation, even if they are not detonated. Things like nuclear weapon production as well as dissolution and dismantling of nuclear facilities all contribute to released radioactivity. In this video we summarize the problem of nuclear weapons, describe their effects on the environment, and finally pose some solutions for dealing with their usage.

Watch our narrated research presentation by clicking on the image below!

Poster Session:

On November 29th, 2023 our team presented our research and service alongside our classmates in the MPR2 in the Perkins building. We had a great time presenting our info, urging other to take preventative action against invasive species, and looking at our classmates’ projects as well!

Reflection:

We were happy to work with Blue Marsh to spread awareness about some of the local invasive species that are wreaking havoc on native ecosystems. Our team had a great time touring the park and researching both the invasive species and our research topic of nuclear weapons. We hope our work will inspire other to take preventative action against dangerous invasive species!