STUDENT OCEAN SUMMIT Dr. John Dindo

As one of fourteen federally-designated Coastal Ecosystems Learning Centers (CELC), the Dauphin Island Sea Lab was asked late last year to select five top high school students from the local area and have them represent their coastal community at an Ocean Policy summit meeting in Washington D.C. in January 2004. Starting in October 2003, Drs. Dindo, and Crozier, along with the marine educators, introduced these students to various aspects of coastal Alabama through presentations and field trips. Over the next three months these students formulated their own views of the Alabama coast and what they believe needs to be done for the future. They created a compelling graphic presentation for their DC summit. It was an enlightening trip to the nation’s capital, as the five students gave their presentation to officials from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Science Foundation. A member of each CELC group was then asked become part of a team to present the overall concerns of the United States coasts to members of the Commission on Ocean Policy, several congressmen and their staffers. The recommendations of these students were recorded as part of the material that the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy will present to each state governor and then to the President of the United States. These committed students are currently working to raise funds to purchase sea oats and help to stabilize beach and dune environments along Alabama’s coast, as well as make presentations to their fellow classmates. Since returning in January, the students have appeared on a radio talk show discussing their coastal policy initiatives. They also presented their findings to their local US representative, Congressman Jo Bonner, who congratulated them on their professional demeanor and passionate discourse on the environment.

(L-r) Pictured at the Old Executive Office Building are Cassie Stokes (Bryant High School); Priscilla Dabney (educator - Daphne High School); ocean scientist Dr. Sylvia Earle; Chris Evans (Blount High School); Alyson Gamble (Murphy High School); Brandon Johnson (Fairhope High School); Margaret Stewart (Daphne High School); Joan Turner (educator- Sea Lab)