Wye River Upper School (WRUS), Bay Ecology students took a memorable 3 day trip to Fox Island. Students and faculty stayed in the lodge on the island and enjoyed a true hands-on learning experience. Built in 1929 as a hunting and fishing lodge, the Fox Island center is surrounded by the waters of Tangier and Pocomoke Sounds in Virginia. The lodge is currently owned and operated by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.

The Fox Island lodge in itself offered numerous environmental lessons to the WRUS students. There are a few lights and one refrigerator which are run by solar panels. There is a composting toilet and the well is operated on a pump connected to a bicycle. The students had to ride the bike before they could get enough water to do dishes.  During their stay students tracked their water usage and compared this amount to what they normally use in their day-to-day lives.  They monitored food waste as well and were challenged to keep all waste to a minimum. Students also had to turn over all electronics, i.e. phones, iPods, and even watches. They used natural elements to help them keep track of time; going to sleep when it got dark and rising with the sun.

Over the course of their trip, WRUS students learned about the history of the Fox Island  area and they expanded their knowledge of Chesapeake Bay ecology. CBF leaders told stories about the natives and how they lived in this environment. Several boat trips incorporated crabbing, oystering, and fishing.  Students investigated habitat cages, discussed marsh ecology and explored the salt marshes

Wye River Upper School is a college preparatory high school for grades 9-12 that offers a supportive, yet challenging curriculum for students with a wide range of learning styles and needs in the Eastern Shore and Central Maryland regions.  WRUS is located on the campus of Chesapeake College in the Higher Education Center and provides state of the art technology, digital arts and environmental science instruction, interscholastic sports, dual enrollment with Chesapeake College, and a low student/teacher ratio. For more information, please contact:
Katie Theeke
Director of Admissions
Tel: 410-827-5822
katietheeke@wyeriverupperschool.org www.wyeriverupperschool.org
…because not all great minds think alike.