Mariner students extend school year for science

Most students can't wait to leave school behind at the beginning of summer break. A group of Mariner students instead extended their school year a bit longer.

Three days after school ended in June, 44 students and nine teachers loaded onto a plane in Philadelphia and headed to Florida on a trip none will ever forget.

“It was a great experience to learn about science,” said AJ White, a rising Cape High freshman who participated in the WorldStrides DiscoverNow! Habitat H2O course.

The program was founded in 1967, offering educational trips across the country and outside the United States to Costa Rica and Iceland.

AJ said the best part of the trip was snorkeling with the manatees. “They're bigger than a dolphin. It was really neat,” he said.

Jordan Ross, another rising freshman, said she also enjoyed swimming with the manatees. She said three of them came up to her while she snorkeled. “They look and feel like a really big rock,” she said.

Mariner science teacher Carly Zych, who pushed for the Florida trip and coordinated fundraising activities for students, said it was an amazing experience.

She said students loved kayaking, snorkeling in the Crystal River and dissecting sharks.

The Crystal River is a natural spring, so cold that snorkelers must wear wetsuits.

“Watching them put the wetsuit on was hilarious,” Zych said. Once suited up, students could see fish and turtles close up in the clear water.

While dissecting sharks, some students found babies inside. “The kids were so into it,” she said.

Jordan said she didn't want anything to do with dissecting sharks, but she dissected a squid.

Jordan said she's not a huge science fan, but the hands-on activities were so much fun she would recommend the trip to anyone.

“I would tell them it's a one-of-a-lifetime opportunity, and it was amazing,” Jordan said.

Already, Zych is preparing to take a new group of eighth-graders on the trip June 9-12.

Planned fundraisers include:

• Citrus Drive: Sept. 12-30 with delivery in December

• Mariner Middle Yard Sale: 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 17

• Fall Clothing Drive: Sept. 19 to Oct. 7

• Paintball Tournament, Sunday, Oct. 23