Student Summit: Inspiring Ocean Advocates for Tomorrow

Katherine Durante, Executive Director of OceanFirst Foundation, speaking at the Student summit.

On two beautiful spring days at Gateway National Recreation Area - Sandy Hook Unit, nearly 850 middle school students and teachers from 31 schools in northern and central New Jersey were scientists in an outside classroom at COA’s 31st Annual Spring Student Summit. On May 15 and 16, students experienced hands-on marine environmental education by participating in a roundtable of six activities and twelve interactive field activities. The 2019 Spring Student Summit was sponsored by OceanFirst Foundation and by Eloise and John Pound in memory of Anne Inman Webster.

A MAST student interacting with middle school students while teaching about horseshoe crabs at one of six round table educational activities.

Searching for microplastics

“OceanFirst Foundation couldn’t be happier to sponsor Clean Ocean Action’s 31st Annual
Spring Student Summit and to contribute to the hands-on marine environmental, and stewardship education of middle school students,” said Katherine Durante, Executive Director of OceanFirst Foundation.

At the Summit educational roundtables, students learned about horseshoe crabs, studied invertebrates, observed a model of nonpoint source pollution, learned the lethal effects of litter on the marine environment, studied dune systems, and learned about climate change and its impacts. Students from the Marine Academy of Science and Technology, a public marine science high school located in Monmouth County, served as peer teachers at the roundtable activities. In addition, naturalists and other education professionals led students in twelve field activities throughout the park, including seining, birding, scavenger hunts, beachcombing, beach cleaning, fishing, traversing trails, and learning about barrier island geology.

Seining Sandy Hook Bay

The Fall Student Summit at Island Beach State Park for middle schools in south Jersey is October 10, 2019. Applications to participate will be available in August.