(Enlarge) Chesapeake High School junior Anthony Whittie, third from left in foreground, helps Lutherville Laboratory Elementary School third-graders George Minas, left, and Alvin Romano, second from left, mix concrete to make reef balls Nov. 25 at the Lutherville school. The reef balls will be used to create habitat for marine life. (Photo by Steve Ruark) (Photo by Steve Ruark)

Lutherville Laboratory third-grade foremen certainly played the part well. They wore safety goggles, hovered over their workers -- Chesapeake High School students -- and gave the older kids instructions on how to make a reef ball.

Reef balls "make a habitat for animals in the Chesapeake Bay," said Joshua Norr, one of many little foremen in Susie Peeling's third-grade science resource class.

The Nov. 25 reef-ball demonstration, held at the magnet elementary school, was a collaborative effort with the Science Technology Engineering Mathematics program of Chesapeake High, a magnet school in Essex.

In early November, Chesapeake High students hosted the Lutherville Lab third-graders for their annual tree-planting event, said program coordinator Corri Perrini.

The two schools meet three to four times during the school year and will next meet to "deploy the reef balls into the Chesapeake Bay," Perrini added.

This year marks the first year that Lutherville Lab trained another school, said Peeling. But if Will Spiccioli has anything to do with the decision to continue, it will not be the last.

"I'm only in third grade," Will said, "but I'm the expert."

Will seemed to enjoy instructing two workers as they shoveled tubs of muddy, cement-like concoctions.

" I would hate to have him as a boss," said 12th-grader Lexi Camm with a laugh.

"Well, you are," responded Will. "You're going to have an hour more of it. So keep moving."

Being taught by an 8-year-old was "interesting," said 11th-grader Jessica Harman, another of Will's workers.

"I like Will," she added with a chuckle. "He's so demanding."

News to note: Go in-store shopping at any Barnes & Nobles on Dec. 5-7, give the cashier the book-fair-identification number 393678, and 25 percent of the proceeds will benefit Cromwell Valley Elementary School, in Hampton.

user comments (1)

user reefball says...

The Reef Ball Foundation is intensely proud of the Lutherville 3rd Grade foremen "teachers" for sharing their Reef Ball construction skills with the Chesapeake High School students. Working together, and teaching each to help rehabilitate our worlds oceanic ecosystems, is a critical skill that will enable the world to eventually overcome issues essential to us all. The Lutherville kids are a prime example that anyone can teach anyone and that environmental skills can be shared worldwide. Todd Barber, Chairman of the Reef Ball Foundation says, "Go Will Go!"

Posted 8:29 AM, 12.04.08

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