By Walker Clemans

If you had recently ventured into Upper School science teacher Sandra Marr’s room, you may have noticed a new arrival alongside class pet Echo The Gecko. A new baby chick hatched a few weeks ago after being in an incubator as an egg. The chick was accompanied for a few days by chicks belonging to a student, but eventually they all found homes. 

The real star of the biology classroom, Echo The Gecko, has been in Marr’s room since she was given to her by a graduating student who could not bring Echo to college. Echo is a class favorite of many of Marr’s biology students. During my sophomore year, my tablemates and I would bring Echo to our table with us in the lid of a Tupperware container so she could be a part of the class. Many students have enjoyed their time with Echo, both inside and outside the classroom. Earth Society president Alex Thalhimer (‘23) says she sees Echo as a part of the club, and Johnnie Williams (‘22) sees “Echo as a true member of biology class.”

Echo is a leopard gecko with black spots covering her yellow body. An interesting evolutionary feature of the gecko is that they have the ability to drop their tail if threatened. This means if you get the chance to handle Echo, you should not grab onto her tail, because it may come off. Echo eats live crickets and is cold-blooded. This means her enclosure needs a heat lamp to keep her warm, as she cannot self-regulate her body temperature.

Hopefully, you will take some time during your Upper School career to come to appreciate all the life in Marr’s biology classroom.

All photos by Walker Clemans.