SHS Seniors recognized by NOAA

Amelia DiCosimo, Tommy Guinan, Jane Ryan, and Noah Shepard were among a small group of students from local schools to earn the Stream to Sanctuary Certificate of Watershed Stewardship from Stellwagen Bank and NOAA in collaboration with the Cohasset Center for Student Coastal Research.  They presented findings from their environmental and ecology research projects to representatives and officials from Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary as well as other offices and departments of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. This certificate recognizes at least two years of field and laboratory experience as well as understanding of “the interconnectedness of the marine world from inland stream to ocean sanctuary.

Tommy and Noah were members of the eelgrass team at CSCR which mapped the location and health of eelgrass in Cohasset Harbor. They both discussed how eelgrass is a key organism in coastal waters that produces oxygen and sequesters carbon dioxide at high rates as well as providing shelter as fish nurseries.  They worked on determining possible reasons for the sudden loss of eelgrass observed in 2022.

Jane worked on a number of projects during her high school time, including bacterial monitoring in the harbor and water quality/pollutant identification and monitoring in the Gulf River.  This past summer she used her opportunity as an intern in State Representative Meschino’s office to advocate for policy related to the preservation of the eelgrass based on data collected by that team.

Amelia secured funding from the Marjot foundation and worked with SHS faculty member Ralph Perrotto and Dr. Sarah Grady, now with Mass Audubon, to study upland migration in the Kent Street Marsh.  This upland migration of plant species is a valuable indicator of sea level rise and the overall biodiversity and health of the marsh itself.