JL Scott Marine Education Center, the community education and otreach arm of the University of Southern Mississippi Gulf Coast Research Laboratory, was designated as a Coastal Ecosystem Learning Center on Nov. 2 by Coastal America.
Mrs. Laura Bush, First Lady of the United States, gave the keynote address for the designation ceremony. Before the ceremony, Mrs. Bush visited with 25 fifth grade students from Taconi Elementery in Ocean Springs who were involved in a marine debris classroom activity at the JL Scott Marine Education Center.