Mackerel Cove Project
Mt. Ararat Middle School
7 South Team
Problem Statement: A large amount of fishing related trash is accumulating in Mackerel Cove which may have a negative impact on the local quality of life and the environment.
Goal: Our goal is to inform the public about the problem of trash in Mackerel Cove within the context of its cultural, natural and economic history.
During Coastal Clean Up week in September 2008, sixty-five 7th grade students collected 1,480 pounds of trash in one hour at Mackerel Cove located in a picturesque Mid-Coast community of Harpswell. This one-hour event sparked the students’ desire to make a change in their community. A Service Learning project was born. The students want to educate citizens about how the trash impacts the cultural, natural, and economic history of Harpswell. By educating the citizens, it is believed, the users of the cove would change their trash disposal habits and consequently reduce the excess amount of pollution.
Please click on the audio player below to hear a song about Mackerel Cove that was written by Sammii and then put to music by Rick Charette.
Song Lyrics
The passionate sunsets,
The peaceful wind,
The tiny pebbles covering the wet mud,
The way the salty water
Sparkles in the hot sun,
Little crabs wandering through seaweed,
Lobster traps with memories of sailors,
Boats floating swiftly on the cold water
The ocean full of dreams,
Listen closely,
It will whisper a song to you,
A song of peace and harmony,
Mackerel Cove,
A place where I can be me
Mackerel Cove,
A place where I can be me
By Sammii
Rick Charette
Rick Charette and Sammii