This month, Sanibel Sea School was delighted to welcome nearly 80 kindergarten and first-grade students from the Naples-based Grace Place for Children & Families for two unforgettable beach field trips.

For many of these young learners, it was a new opportunity to explore the Gulf, discover marine life, and experience the joys of the coast.

Grace Place’s mission — to “put faith into action, providing pathways out of poverty by educating children and families” — resonates deeply with Sanibel Sea School’s own belief that meaningful educational experiences can shape the future.

Throughout their time on the beach, students eagerly searched the shoreline and shallow waters, filling their nets with shells and other natural treasures. Every new discovery sparked excitement as campers proudly rushed over to share what they had found.

Before long, those discoveries became gifts, with students happily presenting their favorite shells to educators and one another.

“Students were super cute and absolutely fascinated with shells,” said Jordyn Sateren, Sanibel Sea School educator. “They loved bringing new shells to me that they found in their nets and gifting them to all the other educators at each station. They all seemed to have a great time and left with smiling faces.”

As the buses pulled away, educators looked up to see dozens of little hands pressed against the windows, each making heart shapes and waving goodbye.

Experiences like these are made possible through our A Chance to Sea program. Thanks to the generosity of our donors, we can subsidize such field trips, making this hands-on marine science experience accessible to more students and helping to remove financial barriers to outdoor education.

If you’d like to help create more opportunities for children to discover, explore, and fall in love with the ocean, please consider supporting our scholarship fund. Every gift helps ensure that more young learners can experience the wonder of the coast — one field trip at a time.

Learn more and support us here>>>