Our 3rd grade students were visited by Geologist, Jeff Smith, and by 2 members - Mrs. Robertson and her daughter Sonnet - of the Monongahela Rockhound.

"Jeff the Geode Guy” took our students on a virtual field trip to a family-owned geode mine in Mexico where Mr. Smith has been invited to mine for geodes for over 20 years! He shared many interesting facts and stories about his trips there and the exciting treasures he has found and brought back. The students have the opportunity to purchase polished geodes or can have ones broken open by Mr. Smith. He uses a special tool that cracks them open in front of the students and reveals the beautiful crystals that have been forming inside the geode for millions of years.

Mrs. Robertson and her daughter Sonnet, who graduated from Slippery Rock University last May, have been coming to East Union every year since Sonnet was in Mrs. Soxman's third-grade classroom. They belong to the Monongahela Rockhounds, which is a club in the Pittsburgh area for people who have an interest and love for collecting rocks, minerals, and fossils. They always spend hours the night before setting up their amazing collection for all of third grade to enjoy! Mrs. Robertson shared with the students that she’s been collecting minerals and fossils for 55 years and has belonged to the rock club for over 40 years!! Sonnet shared many facts during the presentation about their collection and all the places they’ve visited to find them. They even gave all our third-grade students four mineral samples each to keep as their very own.