WE'RE BACK!!! The IMMS Educational Outreach Program is back in action and very popular with the local schools! Prior to Hurricane Katrina, IMMS worked in association with Marine Life Oceanarium, sponsoring the educational programs and tours that were run at the park as well as the outreach program in the community and schools. In August 2006, we reintroduced our educational outreach program to the local schools and community, and the response has been fantastic! Since that time our Educational Coordinator, Ms. Shannon Huyser, has been organizing trips to schools in the tri-county area here on the coast. In the spirit of rebuilding our Gulf Coast and moving forward, the IMMS outreach program has been well-received and appreciated.
During our presentation at the schools the children learn all sorts of interesting things, such as how they can help the animals in our Gulf Coast waters through conservation and recycling, and how the simple task of picking up their own trash at the beach can help marine animals’ chances of survival tremendously. They also learn about the anatomy of marine mammals, our husbandry program, and basic principles of training. The students especially enjoy our interactive activities, one of which is a training game. One at a time they are trained to do different things, from touching a desk or sitting in a chair, to running in place. It really seems to give them an understanding of animal training that can even be used at home on their own pets! The students also learn about our stranding program and our efforts to help animals in the Gulf waters.
For more information on marine mammals and our activities at IMMS, please explore the website further. If you are interested in more information on our educational outreach program or would like Ms. Huyser to schedule a date to speak to your class, you can email her at
Shannon@imms.org.
