Way to Go!: Rachel Biemer, of Shoreham
Rachel Biemer designed and constructed a nature trail at the Tesla Science Center in Shoreham. Credit: Shoreham-Wading River School District
A Shoreham teenager has spearheaded the creation of a nature trail at the Tesla Science Center at Wardenclyffe.
Rachel Biemer, a junior at Shoreham-Wading River High School, designed and constructed the trail and made a brochure and signs to help visitors identify native plants. She also installed two signs featuring nature-themed quotes from engineer and physicist Nikola Tesla, who purchased 200 acres on Long Island’s North Shore in 1901.
Biemer worked more than 100 hours on the project, which served as the community service component of her Gold Award, the highest honor that can be earned by a Girl Scout.
“It felt really nice to see it all come together,” said Biemer, 16, whose sister, Alexis, previously earned a Gold Award and whose brother, Patrick, achieved the highest Boy Scout rank of Eagle Scout in 2014.
Biemer said she selected the Tesla Science Center because she and her brother volunteered there doing outdoor maintenance when she was young. She also received help from fellow Troop #3878 Scouts Michele Corona, Katie Loscalvo and Emily Scarborough, as well as friends Campbell Brant, Michelle Steimel and Caroline Tyburski.
Biemer is a member of her school’s Nexus Club and varsity track and field hockey teams. She also takes precollege classes at the Fashion Institute of Technology and is active in the Junior Shoreham Civic Association.
Michael R. Ebert is an education researcher and has worked for Newsday in various capacities since 2003. He was part of an 11-person team named as 2008 Pulitzer Prize finalists for investigative coverage of the LIRR's platform safety issues.
