At Principia’s fourth annual BioBlitz, the word of the weekend was wonder.

“Principia cares about curiosity, and BioBlitz facilitates the opportunity to have a relationship with nature,” says Upper School science teacher and Director of Sustainability, Lynne Scott, one of the many faculty members who made the weekend possible. “We want people asking, ‘What’s there?’ ‘Why is it there?’”

Significant questions—ones that Principia’s 360-acre campus, comprising three different ecosystems, equips students to answer.

True to its title, the weekend was abuzz with activity. Students and community members identified and cataloged the range of animal and plant species around campus, tracked turtles, observed planets through telescopes, spoke to experts from the Missouri Department of Conservation and the Saint Louis Zoo, and more. “The excitement is there,” says Scott. “[BioBlitz] is building that interest, wonderment, and curiosity for the outdoors.”

Technology played a role in the weekend as well, as STEM teacher Nadim Sarhan led a session on the interplay between nature and technology. “We’re learning a lot from nature and bringing it back to technology,” says Sarhan. Students learned about technology that mimics how bees pollinate flowers, how drones are used to monitor the spread of wildfires, and the wider role technology might play in nature.

“I had a lot of fun [at BioBlitz],” adds Sarhan, a first-time attendee of the event. “It was like a huge celebration of the School.”

And like all good celebrations, this one included everyone. From the 88 species of birds, and numerous plants, amphibians, and reptiles identified over the two days, to the broader community exploring the campus, to the students and their families who joined in the fun, this year’s BioBlitz was a rousing success. We look forward to another successful BioBlitz next year!