Members of the Acalanes Gifted and Talented Education (AGATE) program presented projects on Tuesday, April 8. The 32 juniors from all 4 AUHSD schools displayed individual research projects in the Campolindo library for attending parents and teachers.

Presentations included a large turtle, masks, and a fish tank. Junior Brendan Wilson said, “I was pretty impressed by other people’s presentations.”

Early this semester, students traveled to Monterey for a historical and environmental research experience. The projects were based on what they learned and observed on the trip.

The AGATE program offers this unique field experience twice a year, once each semester.

The projects topics focused on wildlife and ecology, including analysis of weather conditions like El Nino and the study of sharks and egrets.

Junior Morgan Matranga said most students spent 30 to 40 hours on their projects.

“It helped everyone become more independent,” said Matranga.

Wilson said “work ethic and research skills” were gained.

The students drove to Monterey on Sunday, March 2. The trips to Monterey and the presentations are organized by the adviser of the AGATE Club, Daniel Reyes. Reyes is a teacher at Acalanes.

Juniors were nominated for the program by teachers and then selected by a “lottery” system, Matranga explained.