Acknowledgements

    Above all, we have to thank David Stone, our biology teacher.  In sophomore year, Elise first brought up her wish to take Field Biology, but felt she would be uncomfortable with the aspect of the class that required making a collection of creatures--creatures that she would have to kill.  A year ago, Rachel mentioned to Mr. Stone that she was sorry she wouldn't have a biology class in the coming fall.  When asked why she wasn't taking Field Biology,  she replied that she liked living things too much to be able to harm them, even to learn about them.  Without batting an eye, he responded "You don't have to.  We can do an independent study, or some other type of project.  We'll figure something out."  Ideas flew between the three, and "Vegetarian Field Biology" was born.  He has constantly supported us, becoming part of the project himself.  He has helped us juggle bugs, nets and cameras, in the heat of the midday sun, and has done so with an undying enthusiasm that is inspiring to see.  David Stone teaches every student who passes through Uni High and has many commitments besides this, but he did not hesitate to take on this project, along with the troubles that come with breaking new ground.  All for two students.  It has been a wonderful experience, and we are forever grateful to him.

    We also have to thank our respective families, for their love and support.  Elise's father and mother are thanked for not realizing that A) we were doing this project, B) we were raising caterpillars in their house, and C) that said caterpillars had escaped and eaten their plants.  Rachel's father is thanked for being interested enough in technology to buy her a really nice digital camera.  Rachel's mother is thanked for overcoming her instincts to squash anything smaller than the cat so that Rachel could photograph bugs that made it into the house with said really nice camera.

    We would like to thank the other members of our Field Biology class (Baz, Bob, David, Erin, Nick, and Noah,) for providing endless entertainment on our collecting trips, and for allowing us to take pictures of some of the members of their collections.  They held the bugs they caught so that we could photograph them, sometimes losing them in the process, and we obtained many wonderful pictures from their finished collections.  But mostly, we thank them for the memories.  The only thing as ferocious (and loud) as Baz chasing butterflies while forgetting his social skills would be a warrior dropped out of Braveheart into the meadows with his sword swapped for a net.  The Bobmobile will live in our minds for far longer than we want it too, and we still don't want to know why it's called Rachel.  We await the day when David is declared the National Taxonomical Database.  May Erin's trees never be plagued by cicadas again, because we fear for their safety.  (Erin: "Mr. Stone, if you pour boiling water on the tree, will it kill the cicadas?"  Elise: "And she looks so sweet.")  Let Nick and Noah always have a stone frog to sit on and a Ronald McDonald to hug, while they aren't engaging in Public Displays of Affection with each other.