Rochester High School students drew blood from sharks, tagged them and tested for parasites alongside University of Miami researchers during a field study in South Florida.

Rochester Community Schools announced the trip on X on Friday, Sept. 18, saying AP Capstone students were learning on location with the university's research team. The district did not specify the exact date of the fieldwork or name the students and teachers involved.

The AP Capstone Diploma is a two-year, research-intensive program offered at Rochester High School in Rochester Hills and at Rochester Adams High School. It focuses on teaching students how to conduct original research rather than memorize content.

Enrollment has grown each year across the district, according to the RCS website. The district dedicated an episode of its podcast, "RCS Be Inspired," to the program on July 16, describing it as a rigorous program that can give students a competitive edge in college admissions.

Tony Lafferty, a Stoney Creek High School teacher, said in a 2020 district feature that the program teaches students how to study rather than what to study, making the work more personal.

The University of Miami's Shark Research and Conservation Program offers similar daylong field experiences for middle and high school groups. The program, housed within UM's Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric and Earth Science, has run school trips since 2011.

During those trips, students help set and haul fishing gear, take measurements and collect biological samples under the guidance of university scientists. Boats depart from Virginia Key and Key Biscayne in Miami.

The district has not said whether the Miami fieldwork is a new partnership or a recurring one, or whether students will present their research.