BEAVERTON, Ore. — Sixth-grade students from Valley Catholic Middle School will take their science lessons to the sand this week, traveling to Rockaway Beach for a hands-on environmental project focused on removing microplastics from the shoreline.
The event, scheduled for Thursday at 10 a.m. at the Rockaway Beach City Center and Park, brings together students and the nonprofit Sea Turtles Forever to test tools the students designed and built themselves.
As part of the school’s outdoor education and STEM curriculum, students engineered devices specifically aimed at collecting microplastics—tiny fragments of plastic that pose a growing threat to marine ecosystems. During the event, students will evaluate the effectiveness of their designs, making adjustments in real time while actively cleaning a section of the Oregon coastline.
The effort is part of a broader, school-wide initiative. All middle school students will participate in the beach cleanup, turning the day into a large-scale stewardship project. Following the cleanup, students will take part in a themed sandcastle-building contest, with activities expected to wrap up by 2:30 p.m.
Organizers say the event is designed to connect classroom learning with real-world environmental challenges while fostering teamwork and innovation.
Media members attending the event will have opportunities to photograph students using their custom-built tools, visit an on-site repair station where designs can be modified, and interview students, faculty, and community partners about the importance of coastal conservation and microplastic reduction.
Located on the Sisters of St. Mary campus in Beaverton, Valley Catholic Middle School is part of a more than 120-year educational legacy rooted in faith-based, college-preparatory instruction. Its outdoor education program replaces the traditional single-week outdoor school model with year-round experiences that integrate environmental learning, personal development, and community engagement.
School officials say Thursday’s event reflects that mission—giving students a chance to apply science in meaningful ways while contributing to the health of Oregon’s coastline.
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