Marine Science Station 7th grade CSMS Field Trip

Just another day of going to school in “paradise”.

On Friday I took the opportunity of multitasking as dad, school volunteer, and board member observer and went on my son Ethan’sseventh grade science classroom learning trip to the Marine Science Station (MSS). The MSS is one of my favorite places to go and learn in our school system. How can it not be for any kid? It’s on the water, you get to go on a fast boat, swim and snorkel, everything is hands on, and you spend the whole day outside of a traditional classroom!

For those that don’t know, since 1967 the Citrus County School Board has operated the Marine Science Station (MSS) as an educational enrichment center for marine and environmental sciences. Each school year the MSS provides an “in nature classroom” learning opportunity for approximately 2,000 plus elementary and secondary school students from Citrus County. (Students visit the MSS when they are in 4th grade, 7th grade science and as high school science students).  Visiting educational and ecotourism groups from other Florida Counties, other states, and foreign countries also use the facilities.  All field trips to the MSS correlate to the specific educational requirements for each visiting group. All MSS field trips, lesson plans, and experiential activities are correlated with the Florida Next Generation Sunshine State Standards as well as the Ocean Literacy Principles set forth by the Ocean Literacy Network and NOAA Education Plan Goals and Outcomes. Special emphasis is directed towards instilling in students a higher level of scientific literacy and an environmental stewardship ethic that can be spread to their respective communities.

On the day I went  the weather was sunny and bright but windy due in large part to hurricane “Irene” which was blowing past our state on the east side of Florida. The entire MSS staff jumped into action as our bus entered the area. MSS teacher Earnie Olsen and Cathy Proveaux, MSS Secretary, Cafeteria Manager & Boat Captain, met the bus and guided the students into the onsite classroom and lab. Mr. Olsen first took time to introduce the students to the staff and explain the history and mission of the MSS. Then Mr. Olsen provided a critical (and humorous) safety lesson about traveling on the boats, snorkeling, and the natural habitats they would be guests at. Mr. Olsen taught a quick lesson on the types of marine science they might experience in Crystal River’s waters. Mr. Olsen teaches with the enthusiasm of a 7^th grader who has just learned something new and can’t wait to share it with someone else.  You see, Mr. Olsen is not just a teacher at MSS; he once was a student in Citrus County who used to come to the MSS himself. On this day the current student’s 7^th grade science teacher, Randy Hobson, happened to also be Mr. Olsen’s former 7^th grade teacher. Mr. Hobson is another student that grew up into a Citrus County School teacher and has spent many of his own summers as a teacher at Camp Citrus at the MSS.

After getting all of our equipment and gear together we headed to the docks to get onto the boats. Mr. Olsen was one captain of one of the boats and MSS Coordinator and teacher, Hugh Adkins, captained the other. We headed out to the sponge beds at “Limestone Rock Reef” in hopes of snorkeling and seeing some of the marine life. Every moment on the boats Mr. Adkins and Mr. Olsen used as a learning experience from teaching the science vocabulary words to showing them examples of photosynthesis and estuary. I was assigned to Mr. Olsen’s boat and it was thrilling observing the students get excited about learning about their environment and the marine life. As we reached Limestone Rock Reef the students promptly got geared up and headed into the water. Unfortunately, due to the wind, the water was choppy and the underwater was not very clear. Mr. Olsen was able to have two students observe a sea turtle but then shortly after that Mr. Olsen and Mr. Adkins felt it would be best to find a calmer location. Both captains know these waters well and make sure no matter the weather or situation that an alternative option is available for the safety of all. As a result, we packed up and headed to the east end of an ancient oyster reef island. The students had calm and much clearer waters to view sea grass meadows, marine life and even some of the root systems of the Mangrove trees next to the island. This island was formed by Native Americans foraging for oysters and then discarding the shells to form an island. This particular island is also an ancient burial ground. The time went all too fast before it was time to get back on the boat and head back to the Marine Science Station. Again, all the way back Mr. Olsen and Mr. Adkins used every opportunity to teach in this natural classroom. As we parked at the docks we got off right in front of “Barry L. Cannon Memorial Wet Laboratory Marine Museum”.

“This museum was named for the outstanding career of Barry L. Cannon, a civilian electronic engineer, whose life was cut short when he met death while working on the ocean floor the first day of the Navy’s Sea Lab III project off San Clemente Island, off the California coast, on Feb. 17, 1969. Cannon, who was 33 years old at the time of his death, was a veteran of the Navy’s Man-in-the-Sea program, an extensive and projected program to determine man’s ability to live and work in the ocean. Cannon also was a participating aquanaut during the Sea Lab II experiment conducted in 1965, La Jolla, Calif. CA Cannon was on active duty in the Navy from 1953 to 1957, attended the University of Nevada and received his BS Degree in electronics engineering from the University of Florida in 1962. He had been with the Navy Laboratory in Panama City since 1963.” (Excerpt from the Orlando Sentinel, written June 17^th, 1970.)

The School Board approved renovation of the Marine Museum over a year ago and it is hoped in the near future to fill the museum with more learning once again.

As my day ended at the Marine Science Station I again felt blessed to live and raise my family in Citrus County where we have such great assets for our students and community like the MSS.

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