Classroom on the Sand with Cushman High School

Overview

On the morning of March 18th, 2025, The International SeaKeepers Society hosted a Classroom on the Sand Experience with 17 students and four chaperones of Cushman High School at Oleta River State Park in North Miami. These students were aged throughout 9th-12th grade, and had chosen to work with us for a Day of Service through participating in an interactive lesson as well as shore cleanup at the park. To start the day off, our Community Engagement Associate, Lillian, gave a briefing on SeaKeepers, the coastal ecosystems that comprise South Florida, as well as the history and unique role Oleta River provides. Following our initial discussion, our students were handed materials including gloves and mesh bags and set out about the shores and terrestrial areas of the park alike to remove as much trash as they could. The shores of the park were inundated with trash that were carried inshore due to storms, however the picnic tables were also littered with common plastics such as wrappers and cigarettes. In less than an hour, our team of students managed to remove more than 52 pounds of trash from the ecosystems of our park. After a debriefing discussion and a quick break for lunch, our students then had the opportunity to participate in two activities, one a model of pollution dynamics using our Enviroscapes Watershed Table, and the other a more detailed look into the types and properties of the seven major types of plastic through an activity called Sink or Float. Our students proved to be quick learners, asking great questions and providing a fun back and forth discussion during both activities. We give a huge thanks to the team at Oleta River State Park for hosting us and to the students and chaperones of Cushman High School for their hard work, and we hope to collaborate with them all again soon!