Free NYC summer program allows students to be amateur marine biologists

NEW YORK -- In July and August, a cohort of citizen scientists descends on Kaiser Park in Coney Island.

Students with nets comb the shores, catching and studying the organisms that call the shores home.

"We're hoping that they will turn into the next generation of stewards of these spaces into the future and create long lasting relationships with these waterfront parks," said Luis Gonzalez, the associate director for environmental education at the City Parks Foundation, which runs the free summer program.

Gonzalez said the program runs until Aug. 8 and hopes to work with underserved students.

"Some of these students don't have access in their communities to these programing types, and they also can learn science in a hands on, experiential way, a student centered model," Gonzalez said.

The goal is to get these students to learn to protect and respect our waterways and get them interested in careers in STEM.

"It was actually this program that inspired me to want to be a vet," said rising seventh grader Izabelle Konstantinovsky.

What the youngsters get to do

A typical day is packed with activities that include fishing, rowing, seining, and bird watching. There are also many field trips to places like the New York Aquarium.

Some students, like Sebastian McKinney, said they liked it so much that they returned for a second year.

"When you're doing it, you don't even realize that you're learning till the end of the day when you're just like, 'Wow, I know so many more things now,'" said McKinney, a rising ninth grader.

Erin Pender is now spending her third summer as an intern, mentoring the students, which she said good practice for her new job in the fall as a middle school science teacher.

"I can say that this program 100% impacted my decision not only to work in STEM, teaching STEM, but also to work with middle school students. I've had such a great experience, seeing them grow into their own people," Pender said.

Leaders at the City Parks Foundation say data collected by students over the years has been used to monitor aquatic ecosystems.

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