"font-size: 14pt; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">GULF SHORES,

Ala. --

"font-size: 14pt; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">Gulf Shores

Beach Retreat and Ocean

Camp,

a

certified marine/environmental education program hosted 29

Middle/High School students from Calvary Christian School in Orange

Beach for a two-week fieldtrip program recently- ‘Water Quality in

our Local Environment’.

"font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">The Beach

Retreat is ideally located on West Beach Boulevard. in Gulf Shores

positioned within walking distance of the natural diversity at the

Gulf of Mexico and Little Lagoon, a brackish body of water on the

island.

"font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> 

"font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">Student

curriculum was guided by Alabama COS Objectives in

Aqua/Environmental Sciences. The program opened with a focus on

diversity, recreation, and economics of our water resources, then

students participated in a mock trial, presided by Foley attorney,

Tanya Hallford, as they became plaintiffs against a fictitious

developer of ‘Six Flags over Alabama’ moving to the

area.

"font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">A

community-based tour during the week included water testing at the

Little Lagoon Preservation Society field lab, led by Dennis

Hatfield; AL Marine Resources Marine Biologist, Karon Aplin,

informed students about coastal issues plus facilitated fish

dissections. Gulf Shores Utilities employees explained how clean

water reaches our homes and businesses while the students toured

local water pumping stations. Interns from Birmingham Southern

College, Laura Clontz & Laura Oliveros, enhanced the

program.

"font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">The program

utilized technology, group discussions, onsite field work, hands-on

investigations, field professionals, journaling, exploration and

seine net observations; making water filters; sand sculpting, and

sharing of their own water conservation

projects. 

"font-size: 14pt; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">For

information/list of program courses and

scheduling: 

"font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">Contact Belinda

Ringpfeil, Director at

"font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;" href=

"color: blue;">Oceancamp@gmail.com

"font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">&

"http://www.facebook.com/oceancamp">

"color: blue;">www.facebook.com/oceancamp