The Wild-Life of Geese

By Sarah Kerrigan and Lacie Haffner

Have you ever been pulling into the parking lot, nearly late to school, just to be stopped by… geese? At Medina, getting stopped by a goose is quite possibly inevitable. Around the high school there is a variety of different critters, geese included! Obviously, some of the most known animals around the school are geese and other birds, but you can also find ducks, groundhogs, deer, various spiders, and many other little creatures on the outskirts of MHS. 

Many students at MHS have never been into the woods around the high school, with Mr. Oehler's honors biology students being an exception. Mr. Oehler's class highlights the different wildlife that can be found around MHS. Each year in class, he takes his students on a nature walk to catch various insects to study under the microscope. 

In an interview, he stated that he and his students look forward to this activity as there are so many different organisms to see. He loves teaching students how these organisms have adapted to live in an environment where they have to coexist with humans (such as MHS). 

This year we went along with one of Mr. Oehler's classes to get a closer look at the wildlife around MHS and to observe the findings of his students. The students captured arthropods to take back to class. The scenery throughout the woods was very natural and there seemed to be some frogs around the lake.  

As a whole, everyone seemed to genuinely enjoy the experience of Mr. Oehler's nature walk and looking at all the different insects that live in the small area. When talking to students Sophia Young and Brie McCashin, the pair had a positive attitude towards the activity and were excited to show the large ant they caught. (Pictured left) 

Besides completing the nature walk with Mr. Oehler (or maybe biology class was just never your thing), how else could you remain involved with the wildlife around MHS? Fortunately, there are various options to get involved with the wildlife around the school. Our student council keeps bird boxes outside of the PAC. Student council members check on the bird boxes frequently and keep weekly statistics about the birds' activity. These student council members are doing a fantastic job of encouraging birds to create homes here at our school so we can have the privilege of a variety of birds calling MHS their home. 

Another great way to get involved with wildlife and learn about what’s around the school is through the Outdoors Club. The first informational meeting for the outdoors club was on Tuesday, September 19th. Mr. Haramis, the club advisor, explained Outdoors Club as a place for students to come together around a shared love of the outdoors. 

He stated, “If a student is into hiking, camping, backpacking, hunting, fishing, horseback riding, canoeing, kayaking, paddleboarding, whatever outdoors, this club can be a place for them.” 

The club is meant to be a student-run club and is still looking for club leadership. The Outdoors Club is one of the best direct ways for any student interested in anything to do with wildlife or outdoors to get involved at MHS. If you or any student is interested in joining and/or taking on a leadership position in the club they should reach out to Mr. Haramis through email: haramism@medinabees.org or see him in room 2202.

Many students, whether involved in these activities or not, have at least noticed different wildlife outside of the school. While some students love the birds, ducks, and other wildlife, many have complaints about the geese. Out of many interviewed, students generally seem to agree that they enjoy having the random animals around the school and are happy that they find their home here at MHS. When asked about the geese, senior Olivia Czarnomski and some friends agree that “sometimes they’re frustrating to wait around for, but students love seeing the little families wandering around campus together.” Students agree that the nature around MHS makes it unique and interesting, adding exciting aspects to their school experience.                                                                                                 

All in all, the nature and animals around MHS has definitely not gone unnoticed by students, staff, and even different clubs. But overall, everyone seems to agree that despite the occasional parking lot jams due to geese, or the possibility of seeing a spider on the ground, our MHS population loves its surrounding wildlife. Equally so, the wildlife around MHS love their homes here. There's always something new going on just outside our school doors, so next time you're coming in or out of school, take a minute to enjoy the scenery just as much as our wildlife does.