Lindenhurst High School is very special because of the many opportunities students get to indulge in. One of these great experiences is AP Bio’s “Lindenhurst Environmental Field Trips,” or LEFT for short. LEFT is an amazing program where sophomores, juniors, and seniors get to explore different parts of Long Island and learn about its environment. Later on, students will get to participate in LEFT for Juniors, where they will guide Lindenhurst’s fourth graders around Fire Island. Our “Lefties” were very excited for what was to come. 

Day 1- September 14

Our LEFT students traveled by ferry to reach Fire Island’s famous Sunken Forest in Sailor’s Haven. With beautiful weather, students ventured into the forest to learn more about the ecology of Fire Island. Students collected and identified various types of plants for their personal nature journal, which helped them prepare for the LEFT for the Juniors trip. Once the forest exploration ended, students regrouped for a relaxing lunch at the beach. Later in the afternoon, the marine biology teacher, Mr. Costanzo, helped students seine for fish in the Great South Bay. It was a perfect way to start off one of our many LEFT field trips. 

Day 2- September 15

For day 2 of our field trips, the “Lefties” made their way back to Sailors Haven for lessons on the beach. Some of our teachers like Mr. Earhardt taught students how to predict the tide using mathematics, and Mrs. Kelly helped with creative writing in nature. Students were also taught by our earth science teachers about sand and minerals, and did a fun art project using shells, rocks, and anything they could find. To end a very educational day, everyone got the chance to cool off and swim in the ocean. The waves were intense, but the Lefties had such a great time in the Atlantic ocean. 

Day 3- September 23

Day 3 of the trips had a rough start due to bus issues, however the kids still made a fun day out of it. Lefties started their ‘East End Excursion’ by heading over to Morton’s Wildlife Refuge. While there, students learned about the history of Elizabeth Morton and her bird sanctuary, and a few lucky students had a bird land on their hand. Afterwards, we made a pit stop at Gosman’s Dock for lunch and headed out to Montauk Point. Lefties got to tour the lighthouse with a spectacular view of the Atlantic ocean. Though we had troubles at the beginning of the day, the students and teachers still had a great time.

Day 4- September 30

Our fourth trip was definitely one to remember because of all the fun activities we got to participate in. Lefties had a brief lesson on how to canoe so they could prepare themselves for rowing down the Nissequogue river. Students canoed for almost 3 hours, which may seem boring or tiring, but they had a blast racing each other and looking at the beautiful scenery. After a long day of canoeing, we had a fun and relaxing barbeque bash with hot dogs, hamburgers, and other snacks being served. We ended our last trip by the campfire making s’mores, singing songs, and telling each other our favorite parts of the trip. Many memories were made and it was definitely a day to remember.

LEFT for Juniors- October 7-8

The day we had been working for had finally come! The Lefties guided Lindy’s fourth graders through the Sunken Forest, and taught them about the plants and animals that live on Fire Island. Our tour guides did a great job keeping the children engaged in learning, but still gave them a fun tour around the forest. After having lunch on the beach, students got to collect shells and play fun games with their tour guides. The fourth graders had an amazing time. We ended the days with a fun ferry ride home.

The LEFT program is an amazing experience where the AP Bio students got to learn about Long Island’s environment. One of our Lefties said, “The best part of the trip was being in my group and getting to experience every part with them, because we created a great friendship and made lots of memories.” Hopefully we will continue this tradition because not only is it educational, but you make some great friends and memories along the way.