The camp gets children into nature while letting them experience hands-on learning

— Filed by Jerry Barmash for Patch.com's Wantagh-Seaford site (Community Corner)

Wantagh, NY, July 21, 2021 - Underserved children will have an opportunity to get out into nature this summer. The 3rd annual Marine Summer Camp kicks off Thursday at Jones Beach.

The camp gives children invaluable firsthand experience with quality educational programming, the Cornell Cooperative Extensive of Nassau County said in a news release said.

"We are committed to providing dynamic learning opportunities and are thrilled to be hosting this event at the new Jones Beach Energy & Nature Center where youth can gain a world-class education close to home in Nassau County," Gregory Sandor, Executive Director, CCE Nassau, said in a statement.

"New York Sea Grant is very excited to be collaborating again with our partners for the third year of the Nassau County Marine Camp Program," says Rebecca Shuford, NYSG Director. "Marine Camp provides unique hands-on, science-based shoreline experiences of a lifetime, exposing participants to opportunities for STEM education and career options, all while having fun, instilling a love of all things marine, and inspiring the next generation of ocean stewards."

Eight different community groups from Nassau will join the summer program that focuses on the diverse marine life surrounding Long Island.

The camp is hosted by Cornell Cooperative Extension Nassau County, New York State Department of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, New York Sea Grant and the Jones Beach Energy and Nature Center.

"Jones Beach State Park's West End provides an ideal laboratory for understanding wave energy, tides, and the complexity of marine ecosystems," Jeanne Haffner, Director and Chief Curator, Jones Beach Energy & Nature Center, said.


More Info: New York Sea Grant

New York Sea Grant (NYSG), a cooperative program of Cornell University and the State University of New York (SUNY), is one of 34 university-based programs under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Sea Grant College Program.

Since 1971, NYSG has represented a statewide network of integrated research, education and extension services promoting coastal community economic vitality, environmental sustainability and citizen awareness and understanding about the State’s marine and Great Lakes resources.

Through NYSG’s efforts, the combined talents of university scientists and extension specialists help develop and transfer science-based information to many coastal user groups—businesses and industries, federal, state and local government decision-makers and agency managers, educators, the media and the interested public.

The program maintains Great Lakes offices at Cornell University, SUNY Buffalo, SUNY Oswego and the Wayne County Cooperative Extension office in Newark. In the State's marine waters, NYSG has offices at Stony Brook University in Long Island, Brooklyn College and Cornell Cooperative Extension in NYC and Kingston in the Hudson Valley.

For updates on Sea Grant activities: www.nyseagrant.org has RSS, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube links. NYSG offers a free e-list sign up via www.nyseagrant.org/nycoastlines for its flagship publication, NY Coastlines/Currents, which is published quarterly.