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Minuteman High School student Emma Rich of Arlington sets sail for success

A self-described “science geek” who is focused, motivated, and eager to learn and grow, Emma Rich had the experience of a lifetime last summer when she participated in the Science at Sea program sponsored by SEA (Science Education Association), an educational organization based in Woods Hole, Mass., a place renowned for its exceptional marine science institutions.

The fact that Rich, 16, a junior studying Biotechnology at Minuteman High School in Lexington, sought out such a demanding and bold opportunity is totally characteristic of her.  In fact, that readiness for adventure may well have helped to dictate her choice of a high school.

For example, she knew that Arlington High wasn’t the right fit for her, so Rich considered Minuteman as well as a few private schools.

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When a friend suggested that they “shadow” a Minuteman student for a day  to get a first-hand sense of the school and what it had to offer, Rich agreed enthusiastically, planning to visit its outstanding Biotech and Environmental Technology programs.

But it was Biotech that captured her heart and spirit immediately.  “I just fell in love with it,” she said, her passion for the program clearly evident.  Noting that she is a hands-on learner who prefers action to passivity, Rich added, “We are learning what college students are learning.  I’m getting everything I need for the future in a way I can use.”

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The Science at Sea program nicely augmented what Rich is studying in the classroom.  Lasting approximately three weeks and encompassing topics such as nautical science, marine studies and oceanography, there were about two dozen other young people enrolled in it, Rich said, from domestic and foreign locales such as India, California and Chicago.

“I loved it, I didn’t want to come home,” she recalled.  “I did learn a lot, including how to sail a ship.”

The vessel the students were aboard was a 138-foot-long schooner that could accommodate 38 people.

Not only was the excursion a great learning experience, Rich explained, but interacting with such a diverse and talented group of shipmates also encouraged her to be more outgoing. 

Now she is contemplating the next big chapter in her education – going to college to study marine biology, possibly at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia.

Reflecting appreciatively on her years at Minuteman, Rich said, “I’m always learning and doing it in different ways.  What’s the point in waiting?”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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