Mercy University Center for STEM Education Leads Student Ocean Literacy Symposium
Students from Charter High School of Law and Social Justice, Bronx showcase their poster at the USA Blue Schools Student Symposium
Mercy University's Center for STEM Education brought together 367 students from 15 schools across New York City, Westchester, Connecticut and New Jersey for a regional symposium showcasing ocean health and literacy projects on March 27 at The Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk, Connecticut.
The USA Blue Schools Student Symposium represents one of several grant-funded initiatives led by the Center for STEM Education. Through funding from the EPA Long Island Sound Partnership/University of Connecticut and the National Marine Educators Association/SEA BEYOND, Mercy University supports dozens of Blue Schools in the region.
"The Symposium was a terrific opportunity for our USA Blue Schools students to showcase the work they're doing to improve ocean literacy and waterway health in their communities and beyond," said Dr. Meghan Marrero, professor of secondary science education and co-director of the Center for STEM at Mercy University. Marrero also serves as the national coordinator for the USA Blue Schools.
During the symposium, elementary through high school students used various aquarium settings as backdrops to present posters outlining their projects and discuss how they are influencing changes in ocean literacy in their schools and neighborhoods. Schools rotated between presenting and viewing other posters during a one-hour session.
Following the poster presentations, each school participated in programs organized by the Maritime Aquarium, including behind-the-scenes tours of the sharks exhibit for high school students, coastal erosion workshops for middle schoolers and intertidal habitat workshops for elementary learners.
The USA Blue Schools are part of a growing global network of schools committed to improving ocean literacy among teachers, students, families and community members. Blue Schools students engage in hands-on stewardship and social action projects to improve the health of their local watersheds and the global ocean.
For more information about Mercy’s Center for STEM Education and the USA Blue Schools network, visit https://mercy.edu/academics/center-stem-education.
Dr. Diana Payne (CT Sea Grant), Ashley Morell (UConn graduate student), Dr. Meghan Marrero and Mary Ushay from Mercy's Center for STEM Education
Students from Jefferson Elementary School in New Rochelle present their poster
Students from Love of Learning Montessori School, Long Island, discussing Native Plants and Oyster Restoration
Manville High School, NJ, Environmental Club students demonstrated diverse aspects of their projects, including letting other students touch “eel mops.”