Earthlab operates a 5-acre parcel of land adjacent to Millennial Tech Middle School in the Chollas View area of San Diego. The middle schoolers at Millennial are currently studying contamination associated with heavy metals. Joe Vettel presented the 120 twelve- and thirteen-year-olds with Phase 1 environmental site assessment documents related to the Earthlab site including air photos, topographic maps, air photos, geologic maps and database search information for a nearby site used to find the Earthlab site and evaluate possible past uses. Then the kids hand augered and collected samples within Earthlab near the adjacent State Route 94 and in a nearby park that was formerly a citrus orchard. Advanced Technology Laboratories performed two tests pro bono (near surface and at depth) for lead (freeway samples) and two for copper (park samples) given the possibility of fungicide use.
