Holly Jantz, 732-872-0111, Education@cleanoceanaction.org

     Threatening skies did not stop over 300 eager middle school students and educators from enjoying COA’s 7th Annual Student Summit at Island Beach State Park (IBSP) on October 7.  Eleven schools from four southern NJ counties learned about the marine environment.  Students enjoyed field trips, as well as a series of hands-on learning stations, which included touch tanks, a non-point source pollution model, weather and solar energy activities, and, the favorite among students and volunteers, live horseshoe crabs. 

     Field trips and activities were led by volunteer educators from IBSP, Jenkinson’s Aquarium, Wells Mills County Park, the Watershed Ambassadors Program, and the Marine Academy of Technology and Environmental Science.  Students from Lower Cape May Regional High School served as peer teachers at the learning stations.

     Special thanks to the staff at IBSP for their assistance, and Commerce Bank employees for volunteering and donating water and lunch for volunteers.  As always, COA is grateful to C. Rooney Produce Company, Sea Bright, for the donation of fresh and tasty apples for participants.