Homeschoolers Help College Conduct Research

A group of homeschool students recently helped a college with a nationwide research project that is studying turtles throughout the United States.

According to the Star Tribune in Minneapolis, this is the second year that Kristen Genet, a biology professor at Anoka-Ramsey Community College in the north suburban area of the Twin Cities, has reached out to area homeschoolers. The response has been very enthusiastic.

“It’s been a great partnership,” Genet said.

This year, Genet’s biology students collected information on 29 western painted turtles. The data is then pooled with information from about 30 other colleges across the country to research turtle population size and monitor growth.

“You end up with a very large data set from a large geographical area,” Genet said. “I’m hoping the kids come away with an understanding, appreciation, and respect for the lake ecosystem and the creatures that live there.”

Minnesota is known as the Land of 10,000 Lakes, making the North Star State an ideal location for the study of turtles. In keeping with the national trend, homeschool numbers are also growing in Minnesota. Though homeschoolers make up only 2% of the total elementary and secondary student population in the state, the Minnesota Department of Education reported there were nearly 1,000 more homeschool students in 2013-14 than the previous school year.