For the month of July MERITO hosted a beach camp for students in which I volunteered. It was extremely fun and educational for the students and me. We got to learn about marine biology but also about the habitats in our own home. The students had a lot of fun learning from the volunteers and their peers. Everyday we were able to see something new and listen to someone with a different story. We got to see different animals such as fish, birds, crabs, and even jellyfish. We also got to learn about plants, wetland, watershed, and the insects. The kids also got to learn about recycling and the harsh chemicals that go into our waters that affect us and other animals and plants.

The children also got to share what they knew about habitats and animals. They always had a story to share, and it was fascinating how interested they were with each other’s stories. Listening to them talk about their own passions for the environment was also amazing to hear. Most of them loved the ocean and beach before they attended the beach camp. But all of them left loving it and knowing how to take care of it.  

The children weren’t the only ones that learned from the beach camps. I left the beach camps with so much more knowledge that I got to learn from them and the other volunteers. All the people involved in the beach camps were so knowledgeable and passionate about it. Although marine biology is completely new to me, it feels like I have been loving it and studying it for a while. The Beach camps taught me so much and I hope the children got to learn as much as I did as well.

Agency: Bureau of Land Management

Program: Conservation and Outdoor Recreation Program (COR)

Location: Alaska Office of Law Enforcement