Greetings from the GSTC Education Team! We apologize for not having a presence on the Blog sooner, and as you’re about to see, we’ve had a busy, fun-filled summer. We have successsfully completed our first season of Children’s Summer Programs, in association with our new facility! For the last 6 weeks, we hosted two separate summer programs; Hatchling Programs (Ages 2-4) and Turtle Time (Ages 5-12). We are proud to announce that these programs were attended by approximately 130 children!

The GSTC hosted the Hatchling Programs on Friday mornings from 9:30-11 am. Left is a picture taken during the “Hooray for Hatchlings” program. Children joined Public Outreach Educator, Alicia Marin, to learn all about baby sea turtles as they break out of their eggs, dig their way up through the sand and race to the sea. Each Hatchling Program involved an interactive hands-on activity, craft, and sometimes a yummy snack!

Saturday mornings, the GSTC staff had the opportunity to work with older children during the “Turtle Time” programs. These 2 hour programs focused on topics such as the “Amazing Adaptations” of sea turtles, how to “Crack the Crawl”, that “It’s Tough being a Sea Turtle, and that they too can help our fine, flippered friends. Picture right are students from the “Lend ‘em a Flipper” program, presenting their sea turtle creations made from recyled trash found during a beach cleanup.

We were extremely pleased with the success of these programs and look forward to hosting the first annual Sea Turtle Camp in 2008! Be sure to keep checking the Blog/Website for upcoming education programs this Fall/Winter. A special thanks to all those who participated in our programs this summer! The GSTC staff had a blast and we know you did too!!!

Alicia Marin, Public Outreach Educator