Time is running out for Alabama 6th and 7th grade students to apply to the Estuary Corps Middle School Program, where middle school students can engage in activities that explore and improve the Mobile Bay Estuarine system. It also provides opportunities for students to work with professionals from different businesses and organizations throughout the area.
Applications for the three-day summer program must be completed by 12:00 p.m. on Friday, April 26.
The Estuary Corps Program is a collaboration between the Alabama Coastal Foundation (ACF), a nonprofit organization based out of Mobile, and the Dauphin Island Sea Lab.
Alabama middle school students are invited to view the following career awareness videos to explore future options:
Transportation from Five Rivers Delta Resource Center to the program locations will be provided free of charge. Lunch and snacks will be provided each day.
Organizers remind that it is the responsibility of the parent/guardian of each participant to arrange transportation to and from the Resource Center each day. Parents/guardians may request special permission from ACF staff to drop off or pick up students during the program.
Schedule for the 2024 Estuary Corps Program:
- Day 1: Thursday, June 20 Students will learn about Alabama's pitcher plant bogs, Underwater Forest, participate in team building exercises, tour Five Rivers Delta Resource Center, and learn about the Mobile Bay Watershed.
- Day 2: Friday, June 21 Students will be treated to the Wild Native's Dolphins and Wildlife Kayak Experience in Oyster Bay and then tour a water treatment plant.
- Day 3: Saturday, June 22 Students will travel to Dauphin Island where they will board the Dauphin Island Sea Lab's Alabama Discovery vessel to explore the waters surrounding Dauphin Island. Next, they will return to the island to learn about initiatives centered around protecting our wildlife, including seagrass and sea turtles. The day will end with a graduation ceremony, which parents/guardians are invited to attend.
If accepted, participants will be notified by email no later than Thursday, May 2, and parents/guardians will have until Friday, May 10 to pay the $90 registration fee.
Application information and more on the 2024 Estuary Corps Program can be found here.
