On October 12^th Mrs.Lainez took her AP Environmental classes out on a field trip to Paterson Falls. The Paterson Falls is the second largest waterfall on the east coast. Beginning in 1792, the Great Falls embodies the early development of water power systems for industrial use, and the various types of manufacturing that occurred in the District's mills into the 20th Century. These included cotton fabrics, railroad locomotives, textile machinery, jute, and silk spinning, weaving, and dyeing, among many others. This knowledge of the Great Falls was presented by the wonderful tour guide that accompanied the students on their walk around the beautiful park.In addition to being exposed to the Great Falls history, Mrs.Lainez set up an experiment for her students in order to test the water levels of the Great Falls. Each student was given a zip lock bag that contained various strips ranging from: PH, Nitrogen, Copper, hydrogen, sulfite, and iron levels. In the end, when the results were finalized, the students discovered how clean the water actually was despite the appearance of the hulk-colored algae that floated atop of the water.Emre UgurluSenior Investigative Journalist