Cohasset Middle School’s eighth graders presented a semester’s worth of intensive research at the Cohasset Cares Sustainability Showcase, tackling complex topics ranging from local coastal health to the global impact of technology. The event served as the culminating project for the eighth-grade research class, designed to build critical thinking and digital literacy. “The purpose of the project is to teach kids literacy, online literacy skills, research skills, citation skills, and generally putting together a pretty robust project,” explained Kathleen Cerruti, the school librarian and research teacher who organized the showcase. The students explored a wide gamut of sustainability topics, including ocean pollution, renewable energy, and mental health.

Several groups focused their research on the health of our oceans and water systems. The "Ocean Degradation" team shared alarming findings. “One in four fish in the US were found to have plastic in their bodies,” said Ellie Hampton. Phoebe Bungie added that over 90% of atmospheric heat gets absorbed by the ocean, which "makes the ocean more acidic," while Shay Schindler noted that oil spills are the "most common and deadly pollution" found on beaches. Another group studying coastal communities found that, as of 2023, "there are 171 trillion plastic particles in our ocean," according to Hazel Gutner. Her partners offered solutions, with Chloe Yield explaining that "there are certain devices that can prevent pollution," and Adrien Croll suggesting we can "plant new things such as trees and shrubs to increase the amount of oxygen." The topic of water quality was also explored, with Mia Pollus finding the filtration process "pretty interesting," and Colobby Keri noting the importance of conservation methods like storing rainwater. Maisy Balk highlighted the global disparity, sharing that "one in four people don't have access to clean drinking water."

Other projects brought the theme of sustainability closer to home. A team researching coastal development in communities like Cohasset discovered the scale of current efforts. Gardner called "the amount of money and work being put into the coastal development and the resilience projects" fascinating. His teammates, Levi Carpenter and Grayson Dial, emphasized the human element, with Carpenter observing that problems "can only be solved with a group action," and Dial concluding that success requires "a great team that knows how to balance both economic impact and environmental impacts." Another group investigated the critical role of pollinators in "Bee Survival." Savilla Dodge described the threat of the Varroa mite, a parasite deadly to European bees, while Calli Roth and Ryan Seuss quantified their importance, noting that bees pollinate "$3 billion worth of food crops are pollinated per year in the US" and that "one-third of our food that we eat on a day-to-day basis is pollinated by bees."

Students also delved into topics of physical and mental wellness. A project on youth sports injuries revealed a surprising local statistic. "In Cohasset, soccer causes most injuries, not like football or lacrosse," said Dom Penoo, citing repetitive motion injuries. His partners, Jer Huitt and Aiden Fine, focused on prevention and long-term effects, with Huitt stressing that "stretching is the most important key factor," and Fine explaining how repeated head blows in sports can "pile up over time to cause CTE." A presentation on mental health in athletes highlighted the intense pressures they face. Kellen Fraser spoke of "a multitude of different kinds of stress that athletes are inflicted with," while Tommy Irwin noted that with "only 2% of American athletes actually go on to pro," it is crucial for them to have a backup plan. Euan Townsley provided a broader context, stating that "20% of teenagers worldwide experience mental health problems."

The pervasive influence of technology was another major theme. One team tackled social media, where Na Jackson found it "interesting about how easy it is to get addicted to your phone and how the creators who created technology actually wanted it to be addictive." Ellie McCusker added concerns about "how much like fake information is put out on social media like daily." A related project on phone use in schools heard from Miles Watkins about "how big of an effect phones can have on your life," while Becca Nuspam found stories from interviews about how phone use "can affect bullying and things like that" to be particularly impactful. Finally, a group on green energy explored its potential and the public's perception. Jacqueline found it interesting that green energy's potential "is actually the same amount as fossil fuels, it's just like not as used," while Jack commented on the space windmills occupy. Liam noted his surprise at "how many people don't know about what the fossil fuels do to the planet." The showcase concluded trimester one, and Seruti hopes the community will return for the next one. "Our next showcase will be at approximately the March time frame," she said.