BPY fourth and fifth graders researched microplastics in the Van Saun Mill Brook, next to the school. Dr. Allison Fitzpatrick, a biology professor from New Jersey City University/NY/NJ Baykeeper Organization and three of her students came to BPY to lead collection and sorting research. They helped students sieve water samples to separate out microplastics and other objects of similar size. Students identified and sorted the bits and determined that most were of plastic origin; styrofoam, cigarette butts, straw bits and other plastic micro pieces. The Van Saun Mill Brook however had far less abundance than the sample from the Passaic River near Newark.