SeaWorld Team Member Educates School Children

About 1,000 kids from Catholic schools all over San Antonio are pouring through the front gate of SeaWorld. I heard the kids chanting to their chaperones and teachers, “Dolphins, dolphins, dolphins.” Carefully examining the map, the chaperones and teachers abided to the students’ requests and started their day by visiting Dolphin Cove.

While SeaWorld may be closed to the public, the Education & Conservation department still has programs going on year round. Today we are conducting the Instructional Field Experience (IFE). “IFE’s are a truly educational experience,” Kelly Morales, Education & Conservation department manager of the IFE programs, states. “Only the animal venues staffed by our education team members are open, and two animal presentations discussing ecosystems and adaptations are performed.” In fact, Kelly sends schools who are participating in the IFE education information including activities, book lists and more that are all aligned with the TEKS to be used before, during and after their visit.

St. Thomas More is one of the schools attending the 7th Annual Catholic School Day IFE. Michelle Allen, Vice Principal and 4th-grade teacher at St. Thomas More, expressed the following about the IFE, “Most of the students that attend would not normally have the opportunity to visit SeaWorld, and you can’t replace the experience of seeing the animals in person versus reading about them in the classroom.”

Thanks and Gig ’em,
Chance

Related posts:

1. A Trip Like No Other: Studying Bottlenose Dolphins in Greece
2. Aggies in Depth at SeaWorld
3. What Happens at SeaWorld During the Winter?