South Lake Tahoe 11-year-olds kayak around Lake Tahoe as summer science project

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - For four local youth, the answer to "what did you do on your summer vacation?" was different than what you'd expect from 11-year-olds.

For Tobin Grey, Conner Langevin, Benji Blower, and Kaya Ferry, that answer was kayaking the 72-mile perimeter of Lake Tahoe and along the way, conducting water quality testing, nature journaling, learning about tree biodiversity, meeting with scientists gathering data about microplastics, picking up trash, identifying native and non-native species, and monitoring for invasive species. Much of their gathered information was uploaded to the Citizen Science App created by the UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center (TERC).

The four sixth-graders at South Tahoe Middle School did the final leg of their trip on Sunday, October 2, greeted by family and friends as they arrived at Nevada Beach. The trip was done in 11 legs, with three overnight stays. Each day they spend on the water they covered 3-12 miles.

The whole idea of kayaking around the lake started with local science teacher Sabrina Zelles driving over Spooner Summit with her son, Tobin Grey. As they looked over the lake Ms. Zelles said "we should try and plan some type of learning expedition."

He responded with "let's kayak around the lake!" From there the idea took off and the kids took over.

For two months, the kids met weekly to plan the trip. They created a mission statement, came up with their name, designed their t-shirts, learned first aid, how to flip their kayaks, planned the route, and created a gear list. The four learned about invasive species, became Tahoe Keepers, and practiced kayak rescue techniques. When planning their trips they also needed to find out where to put in and pull out the kayaks. Parents helped lead some of their class days, and Ms. Zelles escorted them on the water.

Kaya created a spreadsheet to track finances, Conner did daily weather briefings, and Tobin even found the best places to stop for ice cream along the way.

The name they came up with for the group was KEAL - Kayak Expedition Around the Lake. With some help from parents, the kids created the orange t-shirts they wore (bright so they could be seen on the water), and RISE Designs made them.

On their final leg Sunday, the four adventurers ran into scientists on the lake that were gathering data on microplastics, something right up their alley.

When asked what stood out from the trip, the kids said they were able to identify 13 different species of trees around Emerald Bay, where some of the oldest tree growth remains.

Also surprising were the large amounts of invasive clam shells along the east shore of Tahoe, especially from Cave Rock to Marla Bay.

The water quality tests conducted included testing temperature, nitrates, and dissolved oxygen.

To wrap up their expedition the four friends will be preparing a presentation to share with other students and community members.