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Michigan HS students here to host first Underwater ROV program

Michigan's Stockbridge High School InvenTeam
Local HS students will be engaged in 2-day workshops starting today

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The first Underwater Robotics Workshop will be hosted by the National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa (NMSAS) today and tomorrow (Nov. 27-28) at the Tauese P. F. Sunia Ocean Center in Utulei.

The workshop, called "Joining Hands", is being co-hosted by the NMSAS staff and Michigan's Stockbridge High School InvenTeam, through Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary.

Thirteen visiting high school students are in the territory to "inspire, engage, and work alongside local youth from November 23 - December 3 in completing a first ever Underwater Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) program."

According to the NMSAS, the visiting group has three main goals:

  • to conduct a bottom fish study around Aunu'u;
  • to conduct a study of palolo worm spawning; and
  • to connect with schools in American Samoa to share knowledge and culture between the students, and conduct a STEM program.

            Up to 50 top students representing American Samoa's 12 public and private high schools - including Manu'a - will be engaged in learning activities and sessions today and tomorrow, where the InvenTeam members will lead and mentor them through their STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) curriculum and skills to build an ROV.

            The workshops will run from 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. both days.

            The NMSAS points to the impacts of the joint program and its benefits to ocean conservation.          

"This project will help the Sanctuary establish a current species assemblage and demography baseline for the bottomfish complex around Aunu’u Island. The data collected will aid Sanctuary managers in the development of long term monitoring programs and sustainable, adaptive management strategies."

As for STEM education benefits, the NMSAS notes that "The Stockbridge InvenTeam’s Expedition to the National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa provides students will an important original research project designed to Inspire, Engage, and Educate. The expedition will involve over 400 students enrolled in Stockbridge Community Schools as well as students in Samoa. In addition to developing 21st century STEM skills, the project will promote awareness of the National Marine Sanctuary System, and of the National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa and appreciation for this special place in Polynesia for present and future generations."

Lastly, says the NMSAS, "The National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa and the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary have a special bond and history of collaboration. The Stockbridge InvenTeam’s Expedition to American Samoa is a product of this special bond. It is with this bond in mind we seek to Inspire, Engage, and Educate students while preserving the extraordinary scenic beauty, biodiversity, historical connections and economic productivity of our most precious underwater treasures."

  • This is an excellent opportunity for local high schoolers to learn about underwater robotics.
  • The schedule of events has the students working with the Stockbridge InvenTeam who will guide them in building the ROVs which will eventually be tested at nearby Sadies by the Sea.

This whole week will consist of outreach activities at various high schools on island.

Yesterday morning, one team conducted outreach at Samoana High School while the other boarded a vessel with the crews from the NMSAS and the National Park of AmericanSamoa to carry out bottom fish survey in Aunu'u.

In the afternoon, the teams swapped and an outreach was held for the Vikings at Faga'itua High School.

On Thursday, Nov. 9th, presentations are scheduled for Manumalo Academy, Tafuna High School, and Pacific Horizons School.

Team 1 will be engaged in an Exploration Mission at the Fagatele Bay National Marine Sanctuary where they will drop cameras underwater to capture palolo spawning and get a better understanding of marine life rarely experienced by humans. An underwater ROV will be launched at Fagatele Bay and it will be retrieved the following day, Friday, Nov. 30th.

Also on that day, presentations are set for South Pacific Academy, Iakina Seventh Day Adventist Academy, and Faasa'o Marist College Preparatory School.

A public presentation by the InvenTeam at the Tauese P. F. Sunia Ocean Center is set for Monday, December 3 at 9 a.m. This will showcase the STEM based curriculum for the visiting high school students from Michigan.

"Teams from this high school assisted with the recovery of military soldiers lost in WWII in Palau," according to the NMSAS.

More information can be obtained by calling 633-6500 or email <isabel.gaoteote@noaa.gov>

or <alaese.tauofe@noaa.gov>