Floating Classroom with Surf, Skate, Science and Permission to Succeed

Overview

On March 19th, 2025, The International SeaKeepers Society hosted a Floating Classroom with 18 students and six chaperones from Surf, Skate, Science and Permission To Succeed Microschool. We met the students at the docks of FIU’s Biscayne Bay satellite campus where we hopped aboard DISCOVERY Vessel River Queen and headed out for what was a beautiful day on the waters of Biscayne Bay. To start our day, our Educational Outreach Associate, Jack, led a talk on the history of South Florida’s waterways, the biodiversity and ecosystems of Biscayne Bay, as well as the effects and types of pollution and what each of us can do to reduce the impacts of pollution. Following this, we pivoted into an activity where we learned about the parameters of water quality and how to test for them. Putting this into practice, students had the chance to use our Earth Echo Water Quality test kits to study the health of the Bay through pH, temperature, turbidity, and dissolved oxygen tests. As we finished this activity, we arrived at Sandspur Island where our students and team ended our day with an island cleanup on its shores. In less than half an hour, our students managed to remove more than 29 pounds of trash from Sandspur Island. We had a fantastic day on the water with Surf, Skate, Science and Permission to Succeed, and we offer a huge thanks to them for joining us as well as D/Y River Queen for hosting us!