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This grant award was used to purchase a seismograph and all supporting equipment to bring the physics of seismic energy, and a very practical use of science, into the classroom. Construction engineers, hydrologists, and oil companies make use of geophysics to gather information about the structure of subsurface soils and rocks.

Seismic energy is analogous to "x-ray vision": without penetrating the subsurface with drilling or trenching, geologists can determine the depth to subsurface features and resources based on the behavior of energy waves as they travel through different media. Students used this technology to find the depth to rock below the high school campus. This will be useful information as future building plans at the school must consider the optimum placement of underground structures such as tanks and structural footings.