Senator Nelson’s Director visits MSS
Senator Nelson’s Director visits MSS
About a week ago I had the pleasure of arranging for Florida U.S. Senator Bill Nelson’s Regional Director, Ms. Digna Alveres, to visit one of Citrus County School’s treasures , the Marine Science Station. We wanted Ms. Alveres to experience, and have knowledge of, the unique and hands-on learning that our students receive as a result of their learning experience at the MSS. Senator Nelson has been a longtime proponent of environmental protection and the importance that education plays in that protection.
We began the day by touring Ms. Alveres through the MSS campus stopping first in the classroom of the Marine Science lab on campus. Marine Science Teacher and Boat Captain, Earnie Olsen , gave Ms. Alveres an overview of the curriculum programs that are taught at the MSS at Elementary, Middle, and High School levels . Then Mr. Olsen and MSS Coordinator Hugh Adkins toured Ms. Alveres through the Berry L. Cannon Memorial Aquarium facility project. Mr. Adkins and Mr. Olsen explained how this center was dedicated in 1970 and rededicated in 2012 to the distinguished honor and memory of Berry M. Cannon, a civilian aquanaut and former Citrus resident who died during a dive on the U.S. Navy SEALAB #3. They talked about how the MSS are pursuing grants and other fundraising opportunities to obtain the resources necessary to outfit the Berry L. Cannon Memorial Aquarium with museum-quality, interactive exhibits and murals coupled with living aquaria.
With a short time left before the students arrived Ms. Alveres and I walked to the top of the observation tower at the MSS to get a bird’s eye view of the entire MSS campus and the Salt River.
That particular day 4th graders from Pleasant Grove Elementary school in Inverness would be experiencing the MSS. Each year all students in 4th, 7th and 10th grades go to the MSS for a full day of hands on learning. The students first go to the Marine Science Classroom Lab and Mr. Olsen talks about the MSS, Marine Science and what they will be experiencing that day. Mr. Olsen explained that for that day each of the students would be Scientist and would be doing experiments and hands-on learning. He also spends time talking about local and state environmental concerns and boat safety for the coming trip.
That day we spent the better part of the day on the rivers and into the Gulf of Mexico. Ms. Alveres got to observe as the students did experiments on the Salinity of the water at different locations of the river and Gulf . Students used taste and a hydrometer to determine the salinity levels. Students learned about Plankton and even collected samples to look at under a microscope. The students learned about the importance of balance to the ecosystem in the rivers and Gulf. Students learned the role the sun plays in Photosynthesis. Next Mr. Olsen and Mr. Adkins took the students and Ms. Alveres out to the Gulf and scientific samples were netted for observation. Students explored the marine biology to find various living species including endoskeleton fish. Before long it was time to head back to the Station.
It was hard to imagine how many hours had passed and how much learning had taken place. For many of the students this was one of their first experiences on the water, but it won’t be long before they are in 7th grade and exploring even deeper at the MSS.
Ms. Alveres expressed her pleasure regarding the learning and work taking place at the MSS . She also shared that she felt that Senator Nelson would also be impressed with this special treasure that Citrus Schools provides students. We sent Ms. Alveres home with an invitation for Senator Nelson to visit the MSS in the near future.
I want to thank Mr. Adkins, Mr. Olsen, the students of PGS and their teachers and all the great staff at the Marine Science Station for making Ms. Alveres’s visit so successful.
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