On Monday, August 17th, the GSTC Education Department held our first ever Teacher Appreciation Event. This was a fun and informal way for teachers and educators to preview some of the educational programs, field trip opportunities, and ways that classes can help the sea turtle patients at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center.

Teachers had the opportunity to:

-tour our Exhibit Gallery and Rehabilitation Pavilion after-hours
-watch four of our interactive and informative educational programs
-munch on pizza and snacks
-learn about outreach programs, and other educational opportunities that students can perform from their own classroom

Thank you so much to all the teachers who attended!

We would like to host another Teacher Appreciation Event in September so keep posted for more details.  If you are interested in this opportunity, please email Alicia Marin, GSTC Education Coordinator, at amarin@jekyllisland.com.

~Stephanie Chong, Education Intern

What is Paw-Talk, you may ask?  No worries, it was new to me too!  A couple months ago, I was approached by the blog moderator to interview for a blog called Paw-Talk  (http://www.paw-talk.net/blog)  which is a forum and blog that provides an outlet for pet enthusiasts, animal lovers, and wildlife conservationists to discuss pet care, wildlife conservation, and other issues pertaining to animals.  Paw-Talk goes out to 25,000 members and garners 250,000 visitors a month!

While they have had some blogs on sea turtles in the past, Paw-Talk asked me to write a guest post on sea turtle conservation, rehabilitation and specifically on World Turtle Day (June 16).  To view this interview and to learn more about Paw-Talk, please visit the following website http://www.paw-talk.net/blog/turtle-power-/.

~Alicia Marin, GSTC Education Coordinator

We are very excited to announce our upcoming Teacher Appreciation Night at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center! This is a great opportunity for teachers to preview some of our educational programs and facilities in an exclusive after-hours event.

Start your evening with a few refreshments followed by an overview of different field trip options for your class. Next, you’ll have the opportunity to see three different school program options that correlate to the Georgia Performance Standards. Stick around as we close with a drawing for some great door prizes you can use in your classroom!

Interested? Get your whole school involved! Print this flyer & post it in your school/media center.

Details:

When: Monday, August 17th

Time: 4:30-7:30pm (Refreshments & check-in begin at 4:30, sneak peek from 5-7:30)

Cost: $5 (includes pizza & teacher materials)

Register: at www.jekyllisland.com/teacherappreciation.

For more information, see www.georgiaseaturtlecenter.org or call 912-635-4076.

We hope to hear from you soon!

~Stephanie Chong

Education Intern

Here is the most recent update for the Jekyll Island’s 2009 Sea Turtle Nesting Season:

We have reached the end of the 2009 sea turtle nesting season on Jekyll Island.  It’s been quite some time since we’ve seen a female, so we will be concluding our night patrol after this weekend.  But have no fear, you’ll still see us in the mornings on the beach conducting our dawn patrol and nest monitoring procedures!  Don’t forget to keep up the Turtle-Friendly habits as hatching season is just getting into full swing and can last through October!
Thanks to the 2009 Sea Turtle Patrol Interns and Volunteers who worked countless hours, at night and in the mornings, for the past 4 months to make this nesting/tagging season another great success!  I’ll share some overall results soon, so keep any eye on our BLOG and website!!!

Sincerely,
Stefanie Ouellette
Marine Field Programs Coordinator

Although the nesting season is winding down and turtle walks have ceased there are still many exciting summer opportunities!  We are currently offering our fun and educational hatchling walk opportunities.  Get an inside look at sea turtle research by joining the gstc staff at a nest excavation!  Check out the details below and call 912-635-4444 with questions or to make reservations! 

 Hatchling Walks

*Children under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

-Teddy Ivey

GSTC Educator

We’ve just added a new loggerhead sea turtle patient to our Adopt-a-Sea Turtle Program eligibility list (as Option #1)...Night Watch!

Night Watch was brought to the GSTC by the researchers upon the Georgia Bulldog, a retire shrimp trawler that has been converted into a sea turtle research vessel!  The crew on board the vessel had to ‘watch’ the turtle all ‘night’ until they could get it to the dock for transportation to the GSTC for care!

In addition to Night Watch, we have many other sea turtles eligible for adoption including:

Option #1:In-House Patients

CATON

TUNICATE

Option #2: Successfully Released Patients with a Satellite Transmitter

CLICK HERE to learn more about our Adopt-a-Sea Turtle Program!  Sea Turtle Adoptions make great gifts and educational projects for the classroom.  Don’t wait, adopt a turtle today!  You can purchase an adoption through our ONLINE STORE, downloading a FORM and sending by mail or fax, calling us at 912-635-4444 or visiting the Center!

The Georgia Sea Turtle Center on Jekyll Island is an operating department of the Jekyll Island Authority and receives financial contributions through the Jekyll Island Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. All proceeds from Adoptions help to offset operation costs, including the rehabilitation of our patients at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center.

Thank you again for all of your support!

Sincerely,
Stefanie Ouellette
Marine Field Programs Coordinator

Hi campers and guests!

I know that many of you have been eagerly waiting for an update on Caretta Hope, one of our sub-adult loggerhead sea turtles. She/he was named by the first ever Sea Turtle campers at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center.

To give you some background, Caretta Hope came in on June 11, 2009 with early stages of debilitated turtle syndrome. She was not eating very well, had lots of epibiota on her carapace - living creatures such as barnacles on top of her shell - and was very lethargic. Also, the turtle is missing both back flippers!

You’ll be happy to know that she is swimming, diving, and acting normally for a sea turtle, as well as eating very well. When she arrived, her red blood cell count was at about 5% - it is now at 25% and almost at normal levels! We are going to continue to monitor her red blood cell count, continue iron treatments, and see that she eats well.

That’s all for now and enjoy the photos!

Stephanie Chong

~Education Intern

We are very excited to announce our upcoming Teacher Appreciation Night at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center!This is a great opportunity for teachers to preview some of our educational programs and facilities in an exclusive after-hours event.

Start your evening with a few refreshments followed by an overview of different field trip options for your class. Next, you’ll have the opportunity to see three different school program options that correlate to the Georgia Performance Standards. Stick around as we close with a drawing for some great door prizes you can use in your classroom!

Interested? Get your whole school involved! Print this flyer & post it in your school/media center.

Details:

When: Saturday, August 15th or Monday, August 17th

Time: 5-7:30pm (Refreshments & check-in begin at 4:30)

Cost: $5 (includes pizza & teacher materials)

Register: by Aug 12th at www.jekyllisland.com/teacherappreciation.

For more information, see www.georgiaseaturtlecenter.org or call 912-635-4076.

We hope to hear from you soon!

~Stephanie Chong

Education Intern