![Adding a tray of canned corn to the pile, junior Michael Collop assists in transporting donations for the Holiday Food Drive. The event, hosted schoolwide from Dec. 10-17, raised over 5,000 food items to deliver to the Parkway Food Pantry, helping several families in need. [The drive] is a great thing for us to do because you're giving to those who are less fortunate, and it helps provide for people who can't provide for themselves. [The] competition is always fun, too. It was fun to be in [social studies teacher Jess] Chazen’s class, because he always gets worked up over [the competition]. He made it exciting, and was always convincing us to turn in cans for the drive,” Collop said.](https://bestofsno.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/feature-photo-unsung-2.png)
![NEW CHALLENGE, NEW TEAM MEMBERS: Every season, VEX creates a new game that robotics team members are faced with and have to build a robot to compete in. This year’s game forces students to create a robot that is able to stack rings onto mobile goals in order to score points. The change in games each season is something that robotics teacher Audrea Moyers appreciates.
“One of the things that I like about VEX is that they have a new problem to solve every year,” she said. ¨Even though the equipment’s the same, they have to analyze the game, and they have to come up with solutions that are unique that year. They are using their knowledge from prior years, but they have to kind of redesign a problem.”
As returning teams were faced a new game, some new teams and members had to adapt to a uncommon playing field and game.
“Three of our four teams were competing for the first time this year, and they had very different experiences match to match, so I think they learned a lot,¨ she said. ¨It’s hard just watching a video online to know how it’s actually going to be in person, so they all learned a lot about what gameplay is like, how to work with an alliance partner [and] how to adapt during the day to changes.”](https://bestofsno.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/IMG_9283-1-1200x800.jpg)
Below the boat
Urvi Kulkarni, Lucy Sanders
Sustainable fishing methods play a role in preserving fish populations for the future of the industry and the environment.
November 17, 2022
The worldwide fishing industry employs a variety of methods to supply the demand of the masses, but its intricacies have major effects on the environment.
Many common practices lead to the decrease of vital fish populations, creating a rippling effect on the balance of marine ecosystems. This overfishing lies at the root of the industry’s environmental impacts, as large companies trying to create a profit struggle to be sustainable while also keeping their businesses afloat.
As a result of harmful practices, measures are being taken on the consumer and regulatory levels to preserve the deep blue.
Agencies like the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) work to mitigate the negative aspects of the fishing industry by implementing catch limits and crafting strategies that work towards a sustainable future.
Because of the strict regulations that NOAA implements over nearby coasts, the local fishing industry is largely sustainable in its practices.
In contrast to others in the industry, local fishermen like John Mellor use their connection to science and the environment to navigate the industry in an alternative way.
Between the engineering of new fishing tools and careful application of environmentally conscious methods, local fishermen strive to support the local economy while preserving the ecosystems that their livelihoods depend on.
Aside from working in the industry, part of being a fisherman like Mellor is having a close connection to nature. His perspective on the world under the sea sheds light on the values of those in the local industry that can be upheld by sustainable consumer choices. In addition, his experienced life on the water reveals the possibility for human connection with the ocean.
Uncovering what lies below the boat shows that though many companies place an emphasis on profitability, there are fishermen whose ties to nature foster innovation that conserve the environment and local economy.
This story was originally formatted as a Grid. Click on the links below to view the Grid chapters.
Realities of the commercial fishing industry
Strict regulations on the California coast spawn local sustainabillity
San Francisco fisherman finds his place in nature
This story was originally published on Scot Scoop News on November 8, 2022.
