PHS Global Ecology Studies Program

Kim Becraft - GESP Class of 2001, University of Mary Washington, Major Biology and Psychology

I first and foremost want to thank you and all the Global teachers for your hard work and dedication to the GESP program. The effects of the GESP program on me have been long-lasting and life-shaping. My original concern and interest in conservation and the environment was cultivated within the walls of PHS.

I went on in college to major in Biology and Psychology at the University of Mary Washington. My senior year, I had an internship with the Marine Animal Rescue Program at the Baltimore Aquarium. I worked one on one with injured animals rescued form all along the east coast as well as a great deal of public education on ocean health. Working with children and seeing their excitement about the environment made me all the more thankful of my early experiences with Global.

I have since graduated and pursued my dream of working in conservation. I now live in DC and work for the Conservation Fund, an environmental non-profit. I hope one day to continue my education, but I am enjoying learning about conservation from all angles.

My name is Jess (Hooks)Bushman, I graduated in 1996 from the GESP program. I went on to study Recreation at BYU in Utah and spent a few years in the Equestrian industry as the Equestrian Driector of a large youth camp in
northern Arizona. I am currently married and have a 20 month son. My husband is in the Army and is a Korean/ Spanish linguist. We are stationed in Monterey, California now. I would love to hear from people djbushman@hotmail.com

I wish there there were more postings from people of the early years.

Thank you for the help, inspiration and confidence GESP has given Joey over the past four years. Twice this year, after Canaan Valley Trip;and the recent Fox Island trip, he kept reiterating how much those trips meant to him as far as his knowledge of the environment, the beauty of the surroundings and the comradery of the participants. He said, "You can't believe how much these trips have bonded us together. It's so awesome!" He had nothing but praise for the field studies. It's been a wonderful opportunity to enrich his life - - for life. I hope that the program continues to touch others similarly. I'm in debt to GESP for the effect it has had on my son.

Ever wonder what impact GESP has on its community? See what all the alumni are doing to help the environment. Alumni Information coming soon!

Global Ecology means more to me every year: it was fun as a new ninth grader, even better as a sophomore and junior and senior year of GESP was one of the best experiences of my life. The classes and hands-on lessons are incredible and the trips I took – from the Chesapeake Bay to Canaan Valley, WV all the way to the Grand Tetons – immersed me completely in.. well, our fascinating environment! But the best part of Global is what emerged from it after I graduated: the soul deep appreciation and love I have for the natural world. That will remain with me all my life.

Tabitha Clem - GESP Class of 2001, St. Mary's College of Maryland Class of 2005 UC Berkeley (current) Major - Chemistry, magna cum laude, Scholars Program, Phi Beta Kappa

The main benefit I got out of GESP was being surrounded by teachers who had high expectations for me both in terms of academics and maturity. Managing to keep up with ohter classes while away on field trips was a challenge, but was ultimately beneficial to me. GESP and AP classes made me develop a study ethic so that by college I was able to learn and study independently. Being in GESP helped me immensely, probably in ways I don't even realize. My first semester of college, all my professors asked where I had gone to high school. I was proud to tell them I was part of the Global Ecology Studies Program at Poolesville High School.

Global was a truly enriching experience. The personal teacher/student relationships, intellectual and educational field trips and eye opening classes all added to my memorable time in the Global program. Each lesson and field trip gave me different perspective of the environment and politics and the effects that each has on the other. I remember times when I did not allow myself to learn and take all of the opportunities that GESP had to offer because I was afraid to miss a certain class. Those times I regret. The times I allowed myself to become completely immersed in the global experience were by far my most favorite.

Global Ecology has given me a perspective that has made me a more complete all-around student. With the knowledge I have gained over the course of the four years in that program, I am able to contribute in many discussions a view that is often overlooked. In addition, I have taken two courses related to my Global Ecology education, a History course on the environmental history of the world from 1500 to the present and a Writing Course on ethical dilemmas in conservation. Although these were not required courses for gaining a degree in Biomedical and Electrical Engineering, these electives certainly will shape my outcome as a college graduate. I have also used ArcView over the summer as an intern taking GIS data related to flood damage and have mapped out this data within the region of southern West Virginia. It is more than safe to say that Global Ecology was an immensely valuable contribution to my further education.

While I was in high school, I basically thought of Global as a free ticket to get out of class. Now, as I look back on my experiences at Poolesville, I see it as so much more. I now see how much it prepared me for college, and how the classes at Duke surprisingly do not seem that hard. I see how good the teachers are, and how they made every class interesting - yes, even physics. Most of all though, I see how the relationships I formed with my fellow students and teachers has made me the person I am today.

Evan Keto - GESP Class of 2000, BS from University of Maryland, College Park General Scientist, US Nuclear Regulatory Commission

I'm helping to create environmental impact reports as part of the relicensing process for nuclear power plants across the country. This involves analyzing effects on endangered species, air and water quality, ecosystem stability, historic resources, and low-income and minority populations, among other things. My branch works with other federal agencies, power plant owners, non-profit organizations, and local residents to ensure that nuclear power plants are operating cleanly and safely.What GESP means to me:The GESP program taught me more than science, history, and English; I also learned valuable life lessons in the importance of ethics, initiative, and knowledge. The Global Program gave me the opportunity to take air quality measurements in the mountains of West Virginia, to see the sun rise over the Chesapeake, and to work on community service and research projects throughout the local area. These events helped me to realize that learning about things isn't enough; you've got to roll up your sleeves and put that knowledge to use. Combined with an strong and varied curriculum and an emphasis on teamwork, this message helps to turn students into scholars, residents into citizens, and followers into leaders.

Jessica Kratchman - GESP Class of 2000, BS in Fire Protection Engineering, University of Maryland College Park in 2004. MS in Fire Protection Engineering Class of 2006. Research Engineer at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), in the Building and Fire Research Lab (BFRL)

As a graduate of GESP I have had the opportunity to have a unique educational experience that has helped me not only in college but in my professional career. I think that people in all professions should consider the impact that they have on the environment. Global was an exciting experience, that prepared me for college and my career, and some of my best friends are still by buddies from GESP!

Aaron Lando - GESP Class of 1996, Florida Gulf Coast University - BA Environmental Studies 2006, University of South Florida - MS Marine Science

I am currently part owner and general manager of Rainbow Aquatics, Inc. in Fort Myers, FL. We breed African cichlids for the tropical aquarium fish trade. I have also worked as a Fisheries Biologist for the State of Florida conducting field research in the Charlotte Harbor Estuary and research in red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) stock enhancement aquaculture in the Tampa Bay Estuary. I am also continuing my education in Marine Science at USF in St. Petersburg, FL

Robin Miller - GESP Class of 2004, The George Washington University Major: Biology Minor: Chemistry

The Global Ecology Studies Program definitely gave me an advantage in college. After I graduated in 2004, I was thoroughly prepared for all of my college level science classes. The field trips, labs and activities all influenced my decision to study biology and how it relates to the environment. Instead of reading about developments in science, I was able to experience them first hand, which has made all the difference.

This is Jennifer Newcomer....formely Jennifer Cooper, class of 2000. I graduated from Elon University in 2004 with a BA in Elementary and Special Education. I currently work for Montgomery County Public Schools teaching 3rd grade. I encourage my students to think about their environmental impact and help to find ways to recycle and use less waste. We focus on science concepts such as plant growth, chromotography, and sound. We also work duely in social studies to discuss the reasons why the planet is in need of our help. This is a great way to enrich young minds to think about the future of our planet. GESP gave me the opportunity to work with some amazing teachers who encouraged me to become a teacher. They allowed me to be expressive and to think outside the box, which is what I now encourage my students to do as well.

My name is Matthew Page and I am currently attending college at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). I am majoring in Psychology B.S., and Mathematics B.A. (minors in French and in Philosophy) I am currently working towards eventually pursuing a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, with the hopes of opening a practice for psychotherapy. I want to focus on helping gay and lesbian adolescents, and plan on doing research on the relationships between parenting styles and coming out processes for LGBT youth in the upcoming year.

My name is Gordon Phillips '99. After high school I studied contemporary U.S. history at St. Mary's College of Maryland, Class of '03. Today I am owner/operator of Green Fish Aquatics in Silver Spring, where I captive breed rare and endangered fish for a profit and sell them nationally through the internet. My specialty is African cichlids, currently I have three colonies of endangered Victorians breeding regularly, and more than a dozen species overall. The ecological understanding that I took from Global has been instrumental in my life, not just in understanding how to make water cleaner, but in knowing how systems function and information is organized.

The Global Ecology Studies Program not only opens doors, it provides you with the means to confidently walk through them into a larger world. While most students will only learn the fundamentals of math, the sciences, and English during their high school career, as a member of the Global Program you will graduate with much more. Through the courses and the environmental perspectives presented in the program, you will gain a broader world view. The skills, thought processes learned in Global will prove useful not only in a university setting, but also in the workplace. The Global Program prepares students for success in high school, in the university and as professionals.

Dan Trusilo Class of 1999 United States Military Academy at West Point Major - International Relations and Systems Engineering

I am proud to have been a part of the Global Ecology Studies Program. The program brings together a diverse group of people to learn about the wilderness and all that it offers. I attribute a large part of my success in my difficult military training to my deep connection and understanding of the natural world. I am currently serving as a mechanized howitzer platoon leader in the 3rd battalion, 29th Field Artillery at Fort Carson, CO. I will be deployed to Iraq during this next year. Many times life is grim in the Army, especially with the current world situation. I find myself going where I find some peace. John Muir said, "Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to a body and soul."

Megan Turner - GESP Class of 2004, St. Mary's College of Maryland Major: Biology/Pre-med

More than any of the classes that I took in high school, my global classes are the ones that have proved to be the most beneficial to me as a college student. The Global Program taught me to "think outside the box" as Mr. Morrell said every day during freshman year. Thinking outside the box is the key to success in college as professors will expect an understanding of the material beyond what is written in the textbook. Also, all of the projects, activities and field trips taught me how to apply what I learned in the classroom to the real world. In addition, the style of teaching and the requirements of my Global classes, particularly AP Environmental Science, more closely resemble that of a college classroom. Most importantly, I carry the ethics taught in GESP. I don't mind going a little out of lmy way to recycle a can or to take a minute to just stop, look around at nature's beauty. I will carry these aspects of Global with me all through my life.

Global was the best part of my high school experience. It provided a rich environment for me to apply all of the skills that I learned in class. It also was a setting in which close relationships were easy to make and maintain. I will carry the lessons of respect, and stewardship of the natural world with me through college and the rest of my life.

If I were to describe the Global Ecology Program I would use the word opportunity. There were so many opportunities offered to me during my 4 years here. Global gave me the opportunity to develop deep relationships with my teachers because I saw them both in and out of the classroom. Global also gave me the opportunity to learn about the environment in a way that no textbook can provide. I also had an opportunity make lasting friendships because I had classes with so many other Global students and combined with our field trips and our overnight trips we became a family. I am just glad I got this opportunity to study environmental science in such a unique way. I can honestly say I wouldn't be majoring in Environmental science at Duke if it wasn't for this program.

Update from Esi:
It has definitely been a long time! I hope everything is going well with you and Global. I just wanted to let you know the impact that the Global Ecology Studies Program has had on me. I am currently in my third year at Duke on my way to
earning a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science with a concentration Environmental Sociology and Anthropology. This semester I am in Beaufort, NC studying at my school's Marine Lab while taking graduate level courses in Marine Science and Conservation and Development.

The knowledge and experience I got from Global has framed my thinking for just about everything I have done academically. I know for a fact that I am an Environmental Science major because of the program. This past summer I studied abroad in Ghana where I became very interested in community based conservation projects, so I am applying for the Fulbright Fellowship so I can return to Ghana after graduation and do research on community based ecotourism. This
summer, I will be working with the Conservation Trust for North Carolina as an intern with the Eno River Association (a local river in Durham, NC) in their Environmental Education Department. I know my love of environmental education
came from my senior project when I taught Project WILD at Poolesville Elementary. During my interview, my interviewee asked me what my favorite Project WILD activity was and I told her it was "Oh Deer", I think she was impressed that I even remembered. So for all we know, the fact that I did Project WILD as my senior project got me this internship, so I just wanted to say thank you. I hope that Global continues to do senior projects because it is such a wonderful way to turn what we are learning in the classroom into practical skills. I also told my interviewee about the work we did with the
Potomac Conservancy, which she was also impressed by. So thank you for preparing me to take the next step in my career, and for giving me the seeds that developed into my major and academic interests whilst in college.

I loved Global, it was so much fun and the field trips we went on were awesome. I only hope that the program is getting better and I'm sure it is under your and Mrs. Bradshaw's leadership. But most of all, I just wanted to say a big thank you for all of the opportunities the program (and your class) has afforded me and keep up the good work :)