The third iteration of Clark Magnet High School’s EcoNarcs, EcoNarcs 3.0, takes what the previous EcoNarcs were working on – land invasive species – and puts a twist on it. The team has taken the fight for awareness underwater, focusing on Sargassum horneri, an invasive type of seaweed that has invaded the California coast and spread all the way down to Baja California, Mexico, in just over a decade.

EcoNarcs 3.0 has already collected samples of the “devil weed” on a snorkeling trip to further investigate. Through many social media accounts, EcoNarcs 3.0 relies on the public’s help as much as it does on its own team members. One student created an entire web app that will allow sightings of Sargassum horneri to be mapped out for up-to-date data on the growth of the invasive seaweed. EcoNarcs 3.0 has set a precedent for future teams to follow; within the first few months they’ve already set up the equivalent of a professional non-profit organization.

Submitted by Anna PARSAMYAN

  Anna PARSAMYAN