WorldStrides program:

Splash into Science

Places visited:

Miami, Florida Keys, and Key Largo

Favorite site:

The Everglades, particularly the night walk and the airboat ride. The night walk was fun because you saw alligators, huge grasshoppers, and heard the sounds of toads and tons of other noisy creatures in Florida. This was my first trip to Florida and to see the sky at night on this walk was amazing! The airboat ride was fun because we got to “drift” at considerable speed through the tall grasses while seeing wildlife! Learning about the Everglades really opened my eyes to the importance of preserving the ecosystem and the wilderness area.

Tell us about your Course Leader:

Our Course Leader was very knowledgeable about Florida and all the wildlife. He was very good at explaining watershed management and the importance of the Everglades.

Favorite memory:

Snorkeling in the coral reef! I saw a harmless shark in the distance and that was cool! Seeing the colorful tropical fish in such warm water was great. I never needed a wetsuit!

Overall impression of the trip:

I loved the Florida trip; it seemed to end too quickly! I would always be having fun with my friends and the Course Leader!

Words of advice

It looks great on your resume for college! Because of this trip, I have a semester of elective high school science credit.