Last night, my Sea Grant Extension colleagues Joy Hazell, Betty Staugler, and I hosted our 2nd annual 4-H Mock Marine Ecology Event (MEE) for 4-H students in Collier, Lee, and Charlotte Counties. We put on the event to help them prepare and review for the State 4-H MEE that is held in Orlando in December. The MEE is a competitive event that provides 4-H youth with an opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge of the marine and aquatic worlds. Students test their skills at identifying an assortment of marine and coastal plants, invertebrates, and vertebrates in timed sessions. They also have a scavenger hunt section where they match a series of clues to a set of specimens. I've been involved with this program for several years now in one way or another, and am always amazed with the knowledge that these students have about or marine world. They list of specimens they have to learn in quite impressive, and as a marine educator, its refreshing to see youth take such an interest to the subject. Enjoy the pictures! If you would like to learn more about the 4-H Marine Ecology Event visit:
http://florida4h.org/projects/marine/state_mee.shtml
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| Sea Grant Agent Betty Staugler shows a 4-Her a batfish |
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| students match the lettered specimen (in this case coquina clams) to the corresponding number on their answer sheet |
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| 4-Hers hard at work |
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| Collier County 4-H Agent Tish Roland helps a young 4-Her read her specimen list. |
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| Looks like confidence to me! |
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| A 4-Her checks out a basket sponge |
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| Can you name that invasive fish species?? (If you said lionfish, you are correct!) |
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| Identifying fish |
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| Sea Grant Agent Joy Hazell shows a student a rather large mullet |
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| At the end of the night we go over the answers with the students. |
Last night, my Sea Grant Extension colleagues Joy Hazell, Betty Staugler, and I hosted our 2nd annual 4-H Mock Marine Ecology Event (MEE) for 4-H students in Collier, Lee, and Charlotte Counties. We put on the event to help them prepare and review for the State 4-H MEE that is held in Orlando in December. The MEE is a competitive event that provides 4-H youth with an opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge of the marine and aquatic worlds. Students test their skills at identifying an assortment of marine and coastal plants, invertebrates, and vertebrates in timed sessions. They also have a scavenger hunt section where they match a series of clues to a set of specimens. I've been involved with this program for several years now in one way or another, and am always amazed with the knowledge that these students have about or marine world. They list of specimens they have to learn in quite impressive, and as a marine educator, its refreshing to see youth take such an interest to the subject. Enjoy the pictures! If you would like to learn more about the 4-H Marine Ecology Event visit: 
