The Ocean Institute has become nationally known for its hands-on marine science, environmental and ocean education and maritime history programs. More than 115,000 K-12 students and 8,000 teachers annually participate in the Institute’s 61 award-winning, immersion style programs. To learn about ocean facts, sea creatures, oceanography, science, and California history, students voyage onto the ocean, study in labs and live aboard tall ships or in the chaparral, where they can feel and taste the salty sea spray, sort through live specimens, observe migrating whales, collect scientific data and investigate the culture and world around them. On weekends, we open our doors to the public for a sneak peek into how ocean science, history, and literature are used to inspire life-long learners! We welcome you to come explore our world and plan your next visit to the Institute. Students get to learn about environmental facts and ocean issues like oil spills in the ocean and marine ecobalance.
The Ocean Institute gives kids what they love—summer adventures. The fun begins June 25 when Ocean Institute Summer Camps get underway for students ages 5 to 17. More than 1,500 kids attended Summer Camps at the Ocean Institute in 2011.
The camps are a great way to have fun, enjoy once-in-a-lifetime experiences and inspire kids to be protective of our oceans and environment. The week-long experiences include:
1. Sea Squirts (ages 5 to 6). Features sea life-themed books, crafts, sandcastle building.
2. Neptune’s Mysteries (ages 6 to 7). Features a Sherlock Holmes-worthy experience, including an R/V Explorer cruise.
3. Buccaneer Adventure (ages 7 to 8). Features the world of wooden ships, buried treasure, lost arts of mariners and pirates.
4. Ocean Discovery (ages 8 to 9). Features the world of marine scientists, robotic vehicles and a cruise on the R/V Explorer.
5. Seafarer’s Odyssey (ages 9 to 10). Features the Age Golden Age of Sail.
6. Coastal Explorer (ages 10 to 12). Features science, surf-zones, labs, tide pools, research vessel cruise and more.
7. Ocean Investigator (ages 12 to 14). Features marine-science oriented programs, gathering information understand the ocean environment and R/V Explorer research.
8. Marine Science Careers/Internship Academy (ages 14 to 17). Features programs for career-minded students from intertidal ecology to animal husbandry. An application and letters of recommendation are required for this program.
Single-day camps and multi-day overnight camps are also available for ages 11 to 13 (Island Bound to Catalina). If you are an Ocean Institute member there is membership pricing. There is also special pricing for groups of five or more who register for the same week of camp. For details on Summer Camps visit the Ocean Institute website. http://www.ocean-institute.org/
– By. Cheryl Pruett
