UGA Marine Education Center in Skidaway Island

See what happens when inspiration comes from past field trips & excursions.  More students have opportunities to explore the world!

McNair High students explored the University of Georgia Marine Education Center in Skidaway Island, Savannah & Tybee Island along the coast of Georgia.  They collected samples in the estuary, dissected fish, learned about invertebrates & coastal reptiles, used microscopes to view plankton & other sea life, discussed marine debris & water quality, identified & sorted fish, saw dolphins, learned about the salt marsh & barrier islands.

Pictured from left to right
Top: Chase G, Maxcine F, Fatou G, Ema J, Elijah D
Bottom: Dieynabou D, Amellion M, Ameenah J, Maronda H

We started our journey with a 3 hour walking tour from Forsyth Park to Riverstreet with Ms. Bethany Campbell, former director of the APEX museum on Auburn Avenue in Atlanta, GA.

Ms. Bethany Campbell is fascinating while telling her stories of the history of Georgia!  She makes sure she remembers all the students' names & includes them in all the discussions.

We learned so much more than the standard text books while walking through the beautiful azalea flowers.  Many of the squares dated back to 1733 with monuments, lush greenery & burial sites.

Did you know that Tomochichi, the leader of the Creek Native American Tribe, is buried in Wright Square in Savannah, Georgia?  People have mixed feeling about him since he helped James Oglethorpe establish his colony.

This rock, taken from the Stone Mountain Rock Query, is all that commemorates the memory of Tomochichi, one of the leaders of the Creek Native American Tribe.

Notice the chains are broken in honor of African Americans.

In March of 2023, my students explored the UGA Marine Education Center in Skidaway Island, Savannah & Tybee Island along the coast of Georgia. They collected samples in the estuary, dissected fish, learned about invertebrates & coastal reptiles, used microscopes to view plankton & other sea life, discussed marine debris & water quality, identified & sorted fish, saw dolphins, learned about salt marsh & barrier island. We started with a 3 hour walking history tour from Forsyth Park to Riverstreet with Bethany J Campbell former director of the APEX museum on Auburn Avenue. Then the students went to Tybee Island to experience the beach for the 1st time. All the classes at the marine center were exceptional, the staff was friendly & the chef fed them well! We also toured Savannah State University...my alma mater. My past experiences with the GA Aquarium & NOAA Teacher at Sea Program have exposed me to more opportunities for my students. NOAA Fisheries Service Marine Biologist Denise Harrington joined us on the walking tour & explained her career & more options for my students interested in pursuing the field of sciences.

Several students designed presentations & spoke to classes to explain their experience in Savannah. I'm pleased that they enjoyed themselves while learning!

STAY TUNED FOR MARCH 2024 Marine, Oceanography, STEM & History fieldtrip.