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It’s not fall for Discovery Hall Programs without plenty of festivals and events to visit. Discovery Hall Programs' BayMobile and our educators are on the road attending educational and environmental outreach events throughout the region. If you haven’t seen us, keep your eyes open, because we’re likely headed your way.
DISL’s outreach program recently wrapped up two big annual events; the South Alabama Workforce Development Council’s Worlds of Opportunity event and National Estuaries Day.
Worlds of Opportunity is an expo-style event held at the Mobile Civic Center for two days, introducing more than 9,000 8th grade students to a wide variety of career opportunities. Educators met lots of eager students over the two days, and discussed the growing number of jobs in marine technology including robotics and data visualization to careers in marine fisheries and aquaculture.
National Estuaries Day was another successful day, with families visiting the Dauphin Island Sea Lab’s aquarium, the Estuarium, and enjoying short field trips to an important coastal wetland habitat, the salt marsh.
Next up on the schedule, the BayMobile and DHP educators will travel to Fairhope to participate in the Coastal Alabama BirdFest on October 3 through 6, an annual event for avid birders to gather and learn all about the region’s local and migratory bird populations. Following BirdFest, DHP educators will travel to Gulf Shores for ShrimpFest being held October 11- 14. This jam-packed festival is all about the seafood. DHP’s marine educators will share with visitors where their favorite seafoods come from and how to support a safe and sustainable seafood supply.
The BayMobile will then head to Alabama Association for Gifted Children’s Conference in Birmingham. This is the place for educators to meet and exchange ideas and avenues for expanding educational opportunities for their gifted student populations.
Following these events, DHP heads west with stops in Pascagoula, Mississippi and Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
My Two Boots, a wetland education event, takes place in Pascagoula with educators and naturalists teaching students all about these critically important habitats that are near and dear to many Gulf Coast residents. Hosted by Louisiana Sea Grant, Ocean Commotion takes place on the LSU campus. It’s a busy but immensely fun day, with thousands of students visiting from area schools to learn from regional marine education groups, vendors and other exhibitors about the many plants, animals and resources that are so important to both our way of life, and healthy marine ecosystems.
In the midst of this busy fall, the Dauphin Island Sea Lab itself will host the very first ArtSeaLab. Collaborating with Art Does It, this day is dedicated to merging art and marine science to create understanding. The fun-filled day will boast art exhibits, a poetry jam, a 3D marine debris art contest and plenty of other activities. There is sure to be something for art and science enthusiasts.
Moving into November, the Environmental Studies Center in Mobile once again hosts its fall open house, offering guests the opportunity to see the many animals and habitats on the property, as well as interact with other local environmental groups, including us. DHP will also head to the Alabama Science Teachers Association meeting being held November 5 and 6 to share some of their new programs and activities with teachers from across the state.
With so many amazing events coming up this fall, there are plenty of ways for students and families to connect with the BayMobile and the Dauphin Island Sea Lab.