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Students Hike Crystal Springs, Learn About Water, Wildlife

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 8, 2009

CRYSTAL SPRINGS - Fallen leaves crunched beneath shoes of the 48 students as they kept their eyes peeled, looking for wildlife.

The MacFarlane Park Elementary fifth-graders and Stewart Middle School sixth-graders were hiking through Crystal Springs Preserve recently, learning about water quality, wildlife and Florida habitats.

"It's one of the prettiest places I've ever seen," fifth-grader Shivam Sanghani said of the 525-acre sanctuary in southeastern Pasco County.

The preserve is home to its namesake, Crystal Springs, which discharges 40 million gallons of water daily and is a primary source of the Hillsborough River.

The Tampa schools' field trip was part of a NASA-supported program called From the Source to the Sea in which mentors teach children science, technology, aerospace and reading skills.

The outing at Crystal Springs Preserve was the first of three excursions during which the children will examine water quality and make other environmental observations. In April they will take water samples from the Hillsborough River near their central Tampa schools, and in May they will travel to Fort DeSoto Park in south Pinellas County.

Jamie Pilarczyk

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