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Posted by Howell Township Middle School Team 8-4 on Friday, 11 December 1998, at 7:34 a.m.
Hello from our 8th grade science classes, known as Team 8-4, here in Howell Township, New Jersey. We were happy to participate in this genetics project. It was a bit more work than we anticipated, but we enjoyed the time spent on making observations about our classmatesı genetic traits. We are still in the process of analyzing the data and evaluating our hypotheses. But here is information we collected and wrote about our school and community.
Located in New Jersey's Monmouth County, Howell Township is situated at longitude of 74 degrees, and 12 minutes, 0 seconds, and at a latitude of 40 degree s, 11 minutes, and 30 seconds. It is a ninety minute drive from both Manhattan and Atlantic City, a seventy five minute drive from Philadelphia, and only a fifteen minute ride to the Jersey shore! With 82% of Howell's land zoned residential and 10% designated commercial, the township houses Monmouth County's largest body of fresh water, the Manasquan Reservoir.
Both of the Montawk and Lenni Lenape Indian tribes inhabited Howell Township approximately 10,000 year ago. The early European settlers were mostly Dutch or English. Escaping religious persecution, Quakers found refuge here. Theses groups supported themselves by farming and working in the lumbering industry. In 1804, the township was named after New Jersey's third governor, Richard Howell.
As of 1995, there were almost 43,000 people living in Howell Township; the projected population for the year 2010 is close to 50,000. A diversity of nationalities, races, and and religions is reflected in the area with the largest Kalmuck (Kalyk) community in the Western Hemisphere!
Howell boasts of its 18-hole public golf course, and children are provided with a year-round recreational program. Located at the municipal center, Oak Glen Park is a multi-million dollar complex. It is a setting for the annual "Howell Day" festivities with its pony ride, variety of activities, and smiles for all!
Howell Township's school system has grown significantly from its original one room building with an outhouse! Although the structure (and the outhouse) are no longer used for classes, they receive many visitors each year. To date, there are eight elementary schools housing kindergarten through grade six. With over 1500 seventh and eighth graders, our middle school is the largest in New Jersey. A second middle school is scheduled to open in September of 1999. With an anticipated enrollment of 1200 each, the two buildings will hod grades sex, seven, and eight. Howell High School is one of six in the Freehold Regional High School District.
Our middle school has been named one of the most technologically advanced public schools on the East coast. The students are offered three foreign languages and an array of electives such as computers, art, life skills, music, and technology. Available also are extra-curricular activities such as newspaper, yearbook, peer-mediation, peer tutoring, forensics, and the international club. In addition, the school has two ³Plus² programs: ³Humanities² and ³Math/Science².
Each middle school grade is divided into seven teams, each with approximately 110 students, four ³core² teachers (science, social studies, math and language arts), a resource room teacher and other professionals. This genetics project has included all students and teachers on our team.