Classroom Visit with Overtown Youth Center

Overview

On Wednesday, August 28th, 2024, The International SeaKeepers Society’s educational outreach team visited and participated in an activity with 27 4th and 5th grade students at Overtown Youth Center in Miami, Florida. First, we shared some background knowledge and discussed ecosystems in the Everglades as well as some common species we would expect to find. Students were quick to note several species they observed from the three ecosystem murals that were installed at the center back in January in collaboration with Canvas of the Wild and our artist Kelly Quinn. After our talk on the Everglades, students got to construct agamographs of how they think the Everglades have changed since urban expansion has taken over south Florida, with one image showing what the students thought the Everglades used to look like while the other was how it has changed in recent decades. Students put pencils to paper in no time, drawing images of mangroves and animal life on one side and massive skyscrapers on the other. We finished the lesson with closing remarks and students sharing some of their completed agamographs with us and their peers. We give a huge thanks to Overtown Youth Center for hosting us and to the amazing students for their hard work!