Ocean Wise AquaVan arrives in Terrace

The Ocean Wise AquaVan is back in Terrace as part of its three week tour across Northwest B.C.

Sea stars, sea urchins, crabs, sea anemones and more will arrive in the van’s mobile aquarium, which is a project of the Vancouver Aquarium. There are also artifacts aboard, such as whale bones.

The van arrived on Sept. 17, with its first stop at Skeena Middle School. It will continue to visit schools across the city until Sept. 27, after which it will head to Prince Rupert and Kitimat. The van will return for a final stop in Terrace on Oct. 2 for Strong Start and Day Care students.

Kids will have an opportunity to showcase what they learned at the AquaVan during a special Climate Communication Showcase event on Sept. 30. The van hopes to encourage an understanding of ocean literacy and the effects people have on our marine ecosystems.

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Ocean Wise team members accompany the van, educating students about marine life during their visits. Kids also get out of the classroom and head down to a local body of water to get a firsthand look at ocean life in its natural environment.

“Providing youth with a hands-on learning experience in their own backyard is invaluable in creating stewards for our environment,” Catriona Wilson, manager of Ocean Wise’s mobile programs, said.

“Working with youth and watching them share their knowledge, ideas and passion for their local environment is at the heart of why we do what we do,” she added.

The AquaVan’s upcoming Terrace stops are as follows:

Sept. 19 - Thornhill Elementary School

Sept. 20 - ‘Na Aksa Gyilak ‘yoo School

Sept. 24 - Skeena Middle School and Parkside Secondary School

Sept. 25 - Suwilaawks Community School

Sept. 26 - Uplands Elementary School

Sept. 27 - Cassie Hall Elementary

Oct. 2 - Strong Start and Day Care visits

READ MORE: Lone killer whale explores Prince Rupert harbour