CROCHERON, MD - Fourteen students embarked on an immersive learning experience Thursday at the Karen Noonan Center, nestled in Dorchester County’s Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge. Guided by educators and scientists, the students explored the Chesapeake Bay’s ecosystem while gaining insights into its preservation.
Doug Walters, an educator and captain at the Karen Noonan Center with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, emphasized the importance of connecting with the environment.
“If they can build this connection and learn how amazing this is—not just at this location but across the watershed and its rivers and streams—they’ll more likely make decisions that will help improve the bay’s quality,” Walters said.
The students’ day began with lessons on crab pots, studying their design, the types of bait used, and techniques for catching Maryland blue crabs.
Later, the group explored the shoreline through beachcombing, discovering sea glass, animal tracks, various plant species, and even artifacts from long-lost communities now submerged underwater.
Patti Child, outdoor education coordinator with the Baltimore Lab School, highlighted the significance of hands-on learning.
“This is their outdoor learning classroom,” Child said. “Getting the kids outside in the environment, letting them investigate in their own way, ask questions, and get answers.”
The experience resonated with students like 9th grader Malaika Bradley.
“I learned mostly about nature and how we really have to take care of our planet,” Bradley said.
Nathaniel Rubenstein, an 11th grader, echoed her sentiments.
“I think it’s important to learn about nature so we can tell other people and learn how to conserve our environment,” Rubenstein said.
The students will spend three days at the center, continuing their education on conserving and preserving the Chesapeake Bay. Programs like these bring students from across the watershed, including Maryland, West Virginia, and Delaware, to foster awareness and stewardship of one of the nation’s most vital estuaries.
