While we are not working with Brian Mealey and Greta Parks out in the field or working in the lab, we spend most of our time in the computer lab where we work on different projects like our web page. Our mentor, Houtan Sareh, shows us some educational videos that help us better understand and learn more about our environment.

There are seven students in our group. Therefore our mentor assigns each and every one of the students a topic to write about in our web page (for example we write about bald eagles, ospreys, and terrapins.) We also write about the field work that is done out in Florida Bay and the serum/blood analysis in the lab.

Writing about these different topics was very hard work. We all had to do some research on our own to write about these animals. We had to look through the internet, and through many books and encyclopedias. It was difficult but we did it!! The research that was done on these animals helped the group understand the importance of their role in Florida Bay.

During the days when we are not working in the field or on the web page, we work in the lab analyzing eagle and osprey blood. We run many slides through the analyzers. Each slide measures the amount of a particular chemical in the eagle and osprey blood and gives us that information.

The videos that our mentor shows us are very interesting. For example: We have watched videos such as Protecting Florida's Waters, Environmental Laws and Regulations, and The National Teleconference on Biodiversity. Those are all videos that help us on our research and also on our Web Page. We learned about the greenhouse effect, what biodiversity is, and about our rainforest and habitats. Not only did we watch these videos, study handouts, and have class discussions, but we were also tested on them.

Sometime when we re not working hard, we are all thinking about what we are all going to eat for lunch. Our mentor is generous enough to drive some of us to where ever we want to go eat. Some of the students stay behind, they give Houtan their orders so that he can go buy them their food.