Classroom on the Sand with Little Flower Catholic School

On April 20, 2026, The International SeaKeepers Society hosted a Classroom on the Sand with 20 4th-grade students and 7 educators from Little Flower Catholic School at Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park in Dania Beach. Our Educational Outreach team met with park rangers on staff to learn about the site around our site of Pelican Pavilion, as well as share resources for our coastal cleanup with the students. Once our students and educators arrived, we started our day with a quick introduction on both SeaKeepers and the coastal ecology of South Florida led by our Educational Outreach Manager, Jack. The students had many great questions and ideas, and all were eager to get started cleaning up the beach around our site. Our team handed out gloves and buckets as the students headed out to explore everywhere from the area immediately surrounding our pavilion to the beach and waterline. In just under an hour, our students made a lasting impact by removing more than 18 pounds of discarded plastics, glass, aluminum, and other various types of trash from the beaches of the park. Due to intense storms and winds, it is very likely that any of this terrestrial trash quickly finds its way into the beach and wider ocean easily. Every bit our team removed goes a long way to keep these important ecosystems safe for both marine life and people who wish to enjoy the park. Following our cleanup, we moved into a second activity where the students learned more about the various kinds of life that call the beaches of South Florida their home through our educational activity, Creatures from the Beach. We ended our day with time for general ocean questions from the students. We give a huge thank you to the hardworking staff of Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park, and to our students for a great day filled with amazing questions!