Earlier this month, Deb Harrison's AP Environmental Science class met with Buildings and Ground staff member Peter Thibeault—affectionately known as the "Nobles Turf Czar"—for a hands-on lab. The students are studying soils and nutrient recycling and joined Thibeault on Nobles' Burr Field, where he demonstrated soil testing and sampling techniques.
The students worked at five different stations to take readings like the ones Thibeault takes in order to maintain the fields and ensure optimal playing surfaces, as well as the highest safety standards for athletes. The activity provided students with real context for the importance of a balanced soil micro organism ecosystem.