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Date 6-2-06
Contact Linda Skupian 228.872.4273
Ocean
Springs—The University of Southern Mississippi’s
Scott Aquarium will launch a full summer season of Project Marine
Discovery Sea Camp Monday, June 5, with a “Pirates of the Coast”
theme for youngsters ages 5-14.
A beach, pirate's
treasure chest and wrecked pirate's longboat will greet children
arriving for the popular marine science day camp at the Scott Aquarium’s
interim location at the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory (GCRL), located
at the intersection of East Beach Drive and Halstead Road in Ocean
Springs.
Teacher and
staff "pirates" will welcome children and their parents
under a blue striped tent for the first of regular early morning
check-in procedures.
With registration
nearing 500 for the eight five-day sessions, openings for six- through
10-year-old campers are already in limited supply, said Dr. Sharon
H. Walker, Scott Aquarium administrator.
“Opening of
the 2006 Sea Camp is a milestone in the recovery of the Scott Aquarium
as well as the coast community and coast families,” said Walker.
Registration
for the camp continues for sessions to be held through July 28.
Sea Camp runs 8 a.m. until 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. Half days
are available to five- and six-year-olds. Six-year-old campers may
attend half-day or full-day sessions. Half-day sessions are from
8 to 11 a.m. or 1 to 4 p.m.
Cost per week
is $155 for ages 8-14, $140 for ages 6-7, and $75 for half-day sessions
for ages 5-6. Prices include supplies, field trips, and arts and
crafts projects.
Campers experience
discovery through hands-on activities and live animal encounters,
Walker said. Activities include art, games, crabbing, fishing, seining
and sieving and field trips aboard the pontoon boat that survived
Hurricane Katrina. Field trips will also take participants into
beach and salt-marsh habitats. Youngsters also will learn about
local marine and coastal plants and animals and the habitats where
they live.
For registration
information, call 228.818.8890 or e-mail scott.aquarium@usm.edu.
Registration forms are also available online at www.usm.edu/aquarium.
The J.L. Scott
Marine Education Center and Aquarium is a unit of the GCRL in the
university’s School of Ocean and Earth Sciences, College of Science
and Technology.
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