DWEJ Youth: Summer 2009

This summer, we've had about 60 youth from around the city through the Detroit Summer Employment program doing various projects.
All of the groups had weekly computer trainings and counseling sessions. Here is one group in session with Ms. Myers.

One group focused on testing the water quality at the Belle Isle beach. Public beaches are supposed to be monitored for e. coli. When e. coli levels are above 200 colonies per 100 mL (2 colonies on a 1 mL sample test, according to EPA standards), public beaches are supposed to be closed because of the health risk. However, Belle Isle beach is not monitored. The youth tested the beach about twice a week for six weeks, and the e. coli level reached as high as 13 colonies on one 1mL sample - and the beach stayed open.

1 mL of the sample water from the beach is pipetted onto a 3M water test called petrifilm. Then this sample is incubated for 48 hours to allow bacteria to grow.

This sample is a bit messy, but those blue dots with gas bubbles are E. coli colonies! E. coli is a bacteria that is used as an indicator for fecal contamination in the environment. The red dots are coliform, which are generally harmless. On August 4, 2009, the water sample showed 13 E. coli colonies.

Another group worked on restoring a picnic shelter at the fishing dock on Belle Isle with help from Phillip Cooley. The youth learned to sand, clearcoat and weld the new benches. They also scraped off the old paint and are now in the process of repainting the structure.