We are thrilled to welcome eight new counselors this summer to teach camps at both our Flagship campus and the Bailey Homestead this year. Our summer camp counselors are an integral part of our mission to improve the ocean’s future one person at a time. Throughout their time at Sanibel Sea School, they will teach many children of different age groups and help share their love of the ocean!

Jake Raterman

Where are you from? I am from New Jersey, but I have lived here for about eight years!

What is your favorite sea creature & why? My favorite big sea creature is an orca because they are so smart and familial and my favorite small sea creature is a wentletrap because they are so intricate and fun to find!

What are you most looking forward to this summer? I am most looking forward to bringing back classic camp activities that I loved doing as a camper and seeing some familiar faces. 

You’re planning your next trip. Are you headed to the beach, mountains, forest, or desert? I want to go to the mountains! I have never been before so it would be something new and fun. 

What is your favorite outdoor activity? My favorite outdoor activity is going on walks with my puppy, Finn!

If you had a theme song, what would it be? My theme song is Blame it on the Boogie from Pitch Perfect. 

Anything else you’d like to share with us? We are SO back. 

***This is Jake’s second year as a camp counselor and he grew up going to summer camp.

James Spencer

Where are you from? I am from Fort Myers, Florida. 

What is your favorite sea creature & why? My favorite sea creature is a blue-ringed octopus because they look awesome. 

What are you most looking forward to this summer? I am most looking forward to spending the summer at the beach and sharing my love for the ocean. 

You’re planning your next trip. Are you headed to the beach, mountains, forest, or desert? I would head to the beach on my next trip. 

What is your favorite outdoor activity? My favorite outdoor activity is camping. 

If you had a theme song, what would it be? If I had a theme song it would be Island in the Sun by Weezer. 

***James has been a camper, counselor in training, and senior counselor in training at Sanibel Sea School.

Sophia Morgan

Where are you from? I’m from Las Cruces, New Mexico.

What is your favorite sea creature & why? I have a favorite sea creature for each class of animal. When it comes to cephalopods, my favorite is the cuttlefish. They’re just so fascinating and unique! While most people tend to think of octopuses when they think of cephalopods, cuttlefish come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. They’re such an interesting and unusual species, which is why they stand out to me.

What are you most looking forward to this summer? I’m really looking forward to meeting new people this summer and expanding my knowledge of the ocean. I grew up in the desert, so most of what I know about marine life has been through secondhand learning.

You’re planning your next trip. Are you headed to the beach, mountains, forest, or desert? My next big trip is going to be a beach getaway. I’m hoping to explore everything the Mediterranean has to offer once I graduate!

What is your favorite outdoor activity? My favorite outdoor activity is camping. There’s something incredibly peaceful about being immersed in nature, especially after disconnecting from all technology for a week.

If you had a theme song, what would it be? If I had a theme song, it would be Wildflowers and Wild Horses by Lainey Wilson

Ethan Robbins

Where are you from?  Dayton, Ohio

What is your favorite sea creature & why?  Dwarf Seahorses. It’s the slowest moving fish and fights water currents by latching onto vegetation. 

What are you most looking forward to this summer?  Getting to come back to Sanibel Sea School.

You’re planning your next trip. Are you headed to the beach, mountains, forest, or desert? Mountains!

What is your favorite outdoor activity?  Hiking & Skiing.

If you had a theme song, what would it be?  Right down the line. 

Anything else you’d like to share with us?  I’m studying ecology and political science in Vermont.

***This is Ethan’s second time being a camp counselor and grew up going to summer camp at Sanibel Sea School!

Frankie Just

Where are you from?  I am from Fort Myers, Florida. 

What is your favorite sea creature & why? My favorite sea creature is a sea hare! Sea hares, in my opinion, are the cutest and most silly sea animal! 

What are you most looking forward to this summer? I am most looking forward to being a Sanibel Sea School camp counselor, spending time at the beach, and going to concerts! 

You’re planning your next trip. Are you headed to the beach, mountains, forest, or desert? Planning my next trip, I would go to the beach, but somewhere I have never been before. 

What is your favorite outdoor activity?  My favorite outdoor hobby would be either wakeboarding or looking for shark teeth. 

If you had a theme song, what would it be? If my life were a theme song, it would be Ripple by the Grateful Dead.

Zoe Vadas

Where are you from? I’m from Fort Myers, Florida.

What is your favorite sea creature & why? I love mako sharks because of how quick they are! 

What are you most looking forward to this summer? I’m super excited to teach kids about our amazing home. 

You’re planning your next trip. Are you headed to the beach, mountains, forest, or desert? I’m definitely heading out to see a forest, I’ve never been to a big one in a national park and it’s on my bucket list. 

What is your favorite outdoor activity? I live to free dive and snorkel. 

If you had a theme song, what would it be? Three Little Birds by Bob Marley would definitely be my theme song. 

Stevie Hyle

Where are you from? I was born in Queens, New York, raised in Baltimore, Maryland, and now live in Burlington, Vermont, while attending college. I spent my summers growing up with my grandparents in North Redington Beach, Florida, and every February, I travel to Puerto Rico — where my grandfather was born. These places have shaped my love for diverse ecosystems and deepened my connection to the outdoors.

What is your favorite sea creature & why? Sea turtles have always captured my heart. They’re not only beautiful and endearing, but also incredibly fascinating from a scientific perspective. One of the most amazing facts is that the temperature of the sand during incubation determines the sex of the hatchlings — the warmer the sand, the more likely they are to be female! My favorite species is the leatherback turtle, the only soft-shelled sea turtle, known for its impressive size and deep-diving capabilities.

What are you most looking forward to this summer? I’m especially excited to bring what I’ve learned through place-based education into a camp setting this summer. My goal is to inspire a sense of curiosity, belonging, and environmental stewardship in the campers—and to continue nurturing those values in myself along the way.

You’re planning your next trip. Are you headed to the beach, mountains, forest, or desert? Since I spend most of the year surrounded by Vermont’s Green Mountains, my next adventure would take me somewhere completely different — the desert. I’m drawn to the vast, awe-inspiring landscapes of places like the Grand Canyon and Monument Valley. There’s something humbling and powerful about the desert’s silence and scale.

What is your favorite outdoor activity? Growing up I developed a deep connection to place through paddleboarding. Each year my family visits Puerto Rico where my grandfather is from, it was there that I first paddle boarded in a cove of our now beloved beach. I spent hours paddling in circles looking down into the coral observing the fish. I enjoy the physical yet calming nature of paddling.

If you had a theme song, what would it be? Stubborn Love by The Lumineers

Kaley Wright

Where are you from? Born and raised in Fort Myers! 

What is your favorite sea creature & why? Spotted Eagle Ray, they are majestic and beautiful. Rare to see, but I’ve been lucky enough to spot a few “flying” off the point of the lighthouse beach on Sanibel!

What are you most looking forward to this summer? Getting to experience something new that combines my two passions, teaching children and marine science. Also, seeing the faces of the kids when they discover something new or try something new for the first time!

You’re planning your next trip. Are you headed to the beach, mountains, forest, or desert? Absolutely the beach, it’s my second home, or Disney World, that’s my third home!

What is your favorite outdoor activity? Fishing or kayaking

If you had a theme song, what would it be? Coastline by Hollow Coves 

Anything else you’d like to share with us? I am a 5th grade math and science teacher and I love my job! My husband, Michael, and I used to live on Sanibel for three years. It was our first home together and we are so blessed to have been able to live in such a beautiful place. We lost our home to Hurricane Ian, but it taught us to be grateful for every moment we have and cherish life!