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Uncategorized Upper School Traditions

Hands-on Science

By Mark Guerra
Lakehill Preparatory School, Theater and Film teacher

Lakehill’s annual Biology Trip to the Galveston area was on the brink of cancellation because of Tropical Storm Imelda.  Jeremy Holman, who leads the charge on these trips, worked tirelessly to rearrange all of the travel plans just 24 hours before setting out.

Natural Bridge Caverns, just north of San Antonio, was the first stop. The group of nearly 50 teachers and students hiked 180 feet down into a crack in the Earth’s crust. We learned of the college students that discovered these underground caves in the 1960s, and we were able to see some of the stunning rock formations and bodies of water that have been preserved for all to experience. Breathtaking is an understatement.

The next day was an exploration of two San Antonio sites that were brimming with life. First was the San Antonio Aquarium.  We were first given a tour of the facilities by two of the knowledgeable staff.  The aquarium does not only house water animals, but land animals as well. After the tour, the students were able to explore the space and interact with the animals.  Stingrays and tortoises were fed and petted; everyone got to touch a starfish; and colorful birds adorned the heads and shoulders of the students as fluffy, silky chickens ran amuck at our feet. A few students were able to enter the lemur cages and interact with them as the lemurs ate grapes.

After lunch, we headed over to the San Antonio Zoo. Students got a chance to see some great animals and exhibits. Some crowd favorites were feeding the giraffes and watching the hippos swim.

We spent the final day of the trip at Sea World. Mr. Holman turned into a young boy again, eyes wide with excitement about what the students were going to get to experience that day. We saw a hilarious sea lion show and a fascinating land animal show Pets Ahoy.  Students roamed the park and enjoyed some of the rides and attractions. We reconvened to watch two whale shows, “One Ocean” featuring Orca whales and a separate, Beluga whale show. These massive beauties are a joy to watch as they glide through the water and perform acrobatics. Mr. Holman and some students sat in the Splash Zone. You could see the joy on his face as he stood there, soaking wet, with a grin from ear to ear.

As the Theater/Film teacher at Lakehill, going on the Biology trip was an excellent experience for me to get to know the students a bit better, but what I really learned on this trip is that we have a gem in Mr. Holman as our Biology teacher. His passion for the subject and for teaching meld him into an amazing instructor that I wish I would have had in my high school days. We are so lucky that our school allows us to take our students on excursions such as this one, and I truly believe that is a large part of what makes being a Lakehill Warrior so special.

Find out more at lakehillprep.org.