Catalina trip a unique learning opportunity for students

During Martin Luther King Jr. weekend on Jan. 12-14, 13 AP Biology and 36 Marine Biology students had the opportunity to visit Santa Catalina Island, located 25 miles off the coast of Long Beach, as part of a trip organized by Marine Biology teacher Jill McCrystal and AP Biology teacher Cheryl Lenz.

The island is known for its diversity in marine life and its marine institute, Catalina Island Marine Institute (CIMI). Students spent most of their time in an area of the island called Toyon Bay, learning about marine organisms and their environments.

In the fall of 2014, Lenz, along with Biology teacher Lisa Cochrum, decided to attend the trip with Los Gatos High teacher Steve Hammack, who had been going to CIMI with his students for many years prior. Both Lenz and Cochrum decided it would be a good learning experience for their students, but since Saratoga High offers Marine Biology, they decided the trip would be more fitting for the AP Biology and Marine Biology classes.

The CIMI location at Toyon Bay offers a variety of activities, such as hiking, snorkeling, kayaking and more. The experience is organized by a nonprofit organization that teamed with the institute called Guided Discoveries.

On Friday, Jan. 12, students flew to Los Angeles, then took a ferry to the island in the morning. Throughout the trip, they performed marine labs where they learned about marine invertebrates and plankton, went on an astronomy hike, snorkeled and went rock climbing.

“The best part of the trip is the night time snorkeling where we get to see bioluminescence,” McCrystal said.

Lenz said that the trip gives students a chance to get a different view of organisms in a more interesting way than in the classroom.

“Students can get out of their everyday environment and really immerse themselves in nature,” Lenz said. “It’s different because they’re not just hearing about it, but they’re participating and having a hands-on experience.”

According to McCrystal, the trip is also helpful because it gives Marine Biology students an overview of the course, as well as an opportunity for seniors to bond in their last year together.

“It gives the Marine Bio students a vision of the subject before we really start the class,” McCrystal said.

For senior Marine Biology student Dasha Gousseva, the trip was a unique experience where she was able to learn a lot about marine life; many of the concepts they learned at CIMI would be studied in the class later and in greater depth. Like McCrystal, her favorite part was snorkeling while seeing bioluminescence.

Gousseva decided to go because she realized it was unlikely that she “would have another opportunity to visit Catalina Island while both getting to explore it and learning about its unique marine life.”

For all, the trip was a learning experience that both teachers and students are excited to experience again.

“The best part of the trip is being out in nature and being away from all the technology that distracts us, and just enjoying the beautiful island and seeing all the marine life,” Lenz said.