By Michael Smith, Eagle Journalism

Ms. Ciera Boyter recently took every student in her AP Environmental Science course on a trip to the one and only Mammoth Cave. They were treated to a private cave tour structured around the biodiversity and environmental issues of the national park, both above and underground. They even got a look at field research on cave shrimp population. A guided surface hike followed, and the students got to learn more about invasive species and succession in the park. As Ms. Boyter herself says, “It was wonderful watching the students connect classroom theory to the real world while enjoying great weather and scenery. Having run this trip for three consecutive years, it remains a favorite annual tradition.”