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Catherine Celeste, of the Oswego Middle School, has been selected by the non-profit organization Ecology Project International (EPI) to participate in an eight-day Marine Education Fellowship in Baja Mexico.
EPI is a field science and conservation organization that partners scientists with local and international students and educators at ecologically critical environments in Costa Rica, the Galapagos, Baja Mexico and Yellowstone.
Since 2005, EPI has worked with more than 3,000 students at their Baja Mexico site, the majority of them local to the project site. "I am more interested in conservation and more connected to the sea," said Ivan Arce, a local 2011 participant. "I feel like a scientist!"
During the fellowship, Celeste will participate in a modified version of EPI's Island Ecology Program. She will be immersed in the diverse ecology of the area, home to 39 percent of the world's marine mammal species. Days spent on Espiritu Santo Island, a UNESCO-protected (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) biosphere reserve, will involve underwater data collection and lessons in incorporating field studies into the classroom. The group will also meet with Mexican peers and explore the cultural heritage of the city of La Paz.
"I am extremely honored to have been chosen to participate in this program," Celeste said. "I'm thrilled to bring my passion into the classroom and my students will surely benefit from my experience."
The Marine Education Fellowship will occur March 16-23, 2013.
For more information on EPI's programs, visit their website at www.ecologyproject.org.
