Local students connect with coastal ecosystems
Over 100 second graders from Allen Park Elementary recently stepped out of their classrooms and into the coastal ecosystems of Southwest Florida for a hands-on field trip with the Sanibel Sea School.
The Sanibel Sea School reported that as a Title I school, the Fort Myers-based school participates in its A Chance to Sea initiative, a donor-supported scholarship program. It is designed to ensure that all students have access to high-quality environmental education.
On April 7-9, the second graders rotated through three learning stations, each tailored to support their curriculum and spark curiosity about the natural world. One of the most popular ones brought the students into the shallow Gulf waters, where they used handheld nets to search for marine life. Guided by marine science educator Austin Wise, they worked together to catch and observe creatures, while learning about their biology and behavior.
“At the shoreline, we scooped up handfuls of wet sand and discovered coquina clams burying themselves with their gooey foot,” he said. “Moments later, excitement rippled through the group when a student made a new discovery of her own.”
She shouted that she had never seen a hermit crab before and that it was moving.
“Everyone gathered around to gently take turns letting the tiny crab crawl over their hands before returning it to the water,” Wise said.
The Sanibel Sea School noted that these kinds of experiences are at the heart of its mission. From July 2025 through April, it had provided nearly $40,000 in tuition assistance for school group field trips.
“We have 18 more schools scheduled to visit before the end of the academic year, bringing hundreds more students out to the coast for hands-on exploration,” Director Shannon Rivard said at the time. “It’s important to us that our programming continues to be accessible to all schools and students. To do that, we need support from the community.”