Congresswoman honors Lincoln Middle School students’ efforts 

Congresswoman Barbara Lee honored Alameda middle school for its ongoing contribution to improving the environment. Through the Ocean Guardian program, which is run by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Lincoln Middle School students are replacing invasive plants along the San Leandro Bay shoreline with native ones, as well as picking up trash. 

With the help of East Bay Regional Park District graphic artists, the students also designed a sign to help educate community members about the importance of native plants and habitat. A representative from Congresswoman Barbara Lee’s office gave certificates of recognition to the school at an event held last Friday in Oakland. 

In 2014 Lincoln Middle School received a two-year Ocean Guardian grant of $3,996.60 to help support the continuation of a restoration project along the San Leandro Bay, which borders the school. A total of 90 students in the Environmental Science elective classes are participating in the project. 

As an Ocean Guardian School, Lincoln Middle School provided the project for students related to the conservation of local watersheds, the world’s ocean and special ocean areas, like national marine sanctuaries. 

The teachers at Lincoln decided to focus on the invasive plants that thrive along San Leandro Bay — a practice that enables participating students to remain environmentally active and committed “ocean guardians.

Every six weeks the students make presentations to the school about their ocean guardian restoration activities, and how these improvements along with other current recycling and waste reduction efforts are helping to protect the health of the local watershed, the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary and the Pacific Ocean.