Huntington Local

Walt Whitman marine biology teacher John Karavias on his expedition.

By Steve Bartholomew

It was a dream that he thought just might be out of reach. But he decided to do what he had always taught his students to do: Dream big and go for your goals. So with the backing of his district’s and high school’s administration, Walt Whitman marine biology teacher Mr. John Karavias wrote a compelling essay explaining why he believed that his acceptance into the ARMADA Project would benefit both himself and his students.

Fully funded by the National Science Foundation, the ARMADA Project gives K-12 teachers an opportunity to actively participate in ocean, polar, and environmental science research and peer mentoring. “Participation in this phenomenal program will allow me to use real-life experiences in my teaching,” said Karavias. “It means that I can collect data and samples that can be brought into the classroom, and that provides a much richer experience for my students.”

Karavias’s journey from biology teacher to ARMADA master teacher started 5 years ago when he was awarded an $8,000 grant by the South Huntington Education Foundation (SHEF) to build a saltwater laboratory in his classroom. Today, with numerous marine and fresh water environments both in his marine biology lab and throughout Whitman, Karavias clearly enjoys the opportunity to share his enthusiasm with his own students and with other South Huntington youngsters from various grades who travel to “the big school” to get a hands-on experience.

The official title of Karavias’s ARMADA research project was "Estimation of Primary Productivity and Particle Export Rates as a Function of Phytoplankton Community Structure in the Bering Sea."

To fulfill the promise of the project, Karavias boarded the 420-foot United States Coast Guard cutter Healy on July 3 in the famous “Deadliest Catch” Dutch Harbor. For a full month, Karavias collected and analyzed phytoplankton and Thorium -- a naturally occurring, slightly radioactive metal -- with Pat Kelly from the University of Rhode Island.

Too small to be individually seen with the unaided eye, phytoplankton obtain energy through photosynthesis. They are responsible for producing much of the oxygen present in the earth's atmosphere, and they provide the basis for the vast majority of oceanic and many freshwater food webs.

“Normal ice melting creates a very cold surface temperature in the Bering Sea, and that creates a normal chain of events in sea life,” explained Karavias. “But the oceans’ warming has changed the natural course of events, and scientists of every discipline are studying the effects. The Bering Sea is responsible for $1.7 billion in food production, and I was able to see first hand the effect global warming is having on life there. One of my goals is to teach my students ways to do their part in conservation.”

“Overall the whole experience was fantastic for me,” continued Karavias. “I got to experience many ‘firsts’ and was impressed by the dedication of my colleagues. Between both the scientific community and the Coast Guard crew, I was amazed by the variety of career opportunities on the Healy. Spending a month on the Bering Sea studying marine biology was a dream come true for me. It makes me more determined than ever to encourage my students to work hard and not to let anything stop them from fulfilling their dreams.”

You can read Mr. Karavias’s daily journal of his adventure and find additional information about the ARMADA at www.armadaproject.org.

Steve Bartholomew handles advertising and public relations for the South Huntington School District.

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