Projects based in the community give students the opportunity to engage in investigation as scientists and apply their work to make a difference at home. Community-based projects allow for easy implementation of high-end inquiry in the science classroom. When students become involved in research based in authentic community problems they gain a sense of empowerment and ownership of their work. Students work cooperatively with the teacher as scientists and grapple with data while making decisions about its interpretation and future research directions. Students become involved with their community by sharing their work at public meetings. This kind of service learning helps students improve their academic skills while making significant contributions to their community. In the community project described in this article, students study water and soil quality to support local storm water regulations in Bloomington, Indiana. (Contains 1 figure.)