Twenty-seven Parkside fifth grade students and their chaperones will participate in the “Sound to Sea” ocean ecology study trip planned for May 15-22, 2004.  The “Sound to Sea” Program is an intensive inquiry based, hands on educational program that focuses on the delicate ocean environment.    Trinity Center is located on Salter Path, North Carolina, near the southernmost part of the Outer Banks.  All Trinity Staff members are college graduates, with majors in marine biology and related fields.

While on this trip, teachers and students will participate in classes related to several different ecosystems associated with the ocean and this coastal region.  These classes will include studies at the:

Salt marsh - Catch, identify, and release a variety of live animals.  Learn about detritus, various marsh grasses, and issues related to marsh preservation. 

Maritime forest - Learn to identify various flora of the maritime forest.  Students will grow to understand the importance of the forest for erosion control.

Sound (bay or harbor) - Collect and identify various fauna - blue crabs, hermit crabs, grass shrimp, and various fish.  Identify current effects of pollution on this body of water and the surrounding area.

Beach/dune - Learn to demonstrate the natural effect of a barrier island and the importance of dunes to the mainland.  Study the impact made by hurricanes, most recently Hurricane Floyd.

Freshwater pond – Collect, identify, and study freshwater fish; cattails and other plant life; animal tracks; and insects.  Students will learn about acidity and the effects of acid rain on the pond and its inhabitants.

The teachers and students will also participate in several side trips that include:

·         A 6 miles trip aboard a 45’ catamaran to Cape Lookout National Seashore – where students will learn about the history of the lighthouse and the sciences related to this national seashore. 

·         A dredge and trawl trip conducted by staff from Duke University and the Maritime Museum located in Beaufort, North Carolina.

·         A tour of historic Fort Macon State Park where our group will the importance of this fort in defending our country against a possible naval attack during the 18^th and 19^th centuries.

·         A fishing trip aboard the Mystery Boat, a 65’ double-decker chartered vessel, where students will learn about the fishing industry and the value of keeping America’s waterways free of pollution.

Make a Difference

As the old man walked the beach at dawn, he noticed a young man ahead of him picking up starfish and flinging them into the sea. 

Finally, catching up with the youth, he asked him why he was doing this.  

The answer was that stranded starfish would die if left until the morning sun.

 “But the beach goes on for miles and there are millions of starfish,” countered the old man.  

“How can your effort make any difference?” 

The young man looked at the starfish in his hand and carefully threw it to safety in the waves. 

“It makes a difference to this one,” he said.  

-Anonymous

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