Tyndall Youth Center hosts Marine Discovery Camp

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Christopher Reel
  • 325th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  The Tyndall Youth Center hosted a Spring Break Marine Discovery Camp for children ages nine years and up, March 12 and 13.

Day 1 of the camp incorporated a "Marine Biology Exploration" trip with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries at the beacon beach marina.

The children spent the day snorkeling and wading in St. Andrew Bay.

"We had them form research teams and observe the different habitats," said Gwendolyn Jones, 325th Civil Engineer Squadron Natural Resources. "They learned about sea turtles that nest on Tyndall's beaches and swim in the Sea grass beds of Crooked Island Sound."

Mullet, hermit crabs, star fish and sea horses were a few of the variety of marine life the children caught with seine nets and released. They played games and learned how to identify different sea shells.

Tyndall Natural Resources, the Tyndall Youth Center, and the NOAA Fisheries assisted the young scientists to find answers to their questions and informed the children about the local ecosystems, their role, and how the children fit in.

The NOAA Fisheries further explained the unique characteristics about the local marine life and what the children can do to help preserve the local habitats, such as cleaning up shoreline, and not littering.

On Day 2 of the camp, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission assisted the Tyndall Youth Center and Tyndall Natural Resources took the children fishing at Felix Lake, one of Tyndall's freshwater lakes. The state biologist taught the children how to identify and measure fish and provided the rods and reels for the event.

The program not only targeted students on Spring Break from Bay County schools, but also a number of home-schooled children. Tyndall now has a "home-school" network referred to as Learning and Educational Assistance Network (LEAN). Future activities scheduled include the exploration of nature trails, nature in and near the water, beach cleanup and more.

"Programs such as these provide for heightened hands-on and visual learning," said Jones.

Specific activities can be found at www.facebook.com?iHeartTYHomeSchoolers.