Local students turn class project into field trip
On Jan. 29, the Sanibel Sea School welcomed 23 students from South Fort Myers High School for a hands-on marine science field trip. The students in grades 10-12 were enrolled in Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) Marine Science, and the day was designed to provide them with real-world experience exploring the ecosystems that they study in the classroom.
AICE is a global program administered through the University of Cambridge in the U.K.
The Sanibel Sea School reported that the visit was driven by a student who was also enrolled in the AICE Travel & Tourism course, where students are tasked with planning and hosting an event.
South Fort Myers High is a Title I school and to help make the experience accessible, the Sanibel Sea School reduced the per-student cost with support from its scholarship fund. The students then took ownership of the opportunity by organizing fundraisers at their school to cover the cost of the bus trip.
The day was divided into two immersive stations, led by marine science educators Izzy Lutz and Jordyn Sateren. In one, students conducted a squid dissection, diving into anatomy and adaptations. In the other, they explored seagrass beds with dip nets. The group encountered an impressive array of species, including lizardfish, flounders, pipefish, a seahorse, hermit crabs, blue crabs and mud snails.
The Sanibel Sea School noted that field trips like this highlight the power of experiential education, especially when students are given agency to shape their own learning experiences.