About 150 VBCPS third, fourth and fifth graders were congratulated at the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center on June 6.
Superintendent Dr. Donald Robertson Jr. and attorney Jeffrey Breit shook hands with smiling students as they arrived for the “Oceans of Success” field trip sponsored by the law firm of Breit Biniazan and retired Virginia Beach Circuit Court judge Thomas Shadrick.
Dr. Robertson spoke to the group before they dispersed throughout the aquarium.
“Congratulations,” he told them. “Pat yourself on the back.”
Thalia Elementary fourth grader Na’Aja Futrell said she was excited.
“My teacher said my grades soared,” she said. “I’m very honored to be here.”
Madison Geel said she was happy.
“I’m very proud of myself,” the Bettie F. Williams Elementary fourth grader said.
Chris Equels and Justin Fuller with the Aquarium’s animal husbandry staff kicked off the event by introducing the special guests to “Forest,” a 2-year-old, 6-foot-long eastern indigo snake.
Students asked lots of questions and learned that the snake eats mice about twice a week, smells with his tongue, has no eyelids and sheds.
They were divided into groups of sharks, crocodiles, turtles and seahorses before heading out in different directions. The turtles went outside to see the harbor seals “Hector” and “Rudder” in their huge glass-enclosed exhibit.
Their guide was the aquarium’s community engagement coordinator, Max Wright. “They are mammals, not fish,” she told the group.
Several Holland Elementary students, including Dennis Hardy, Tamia Johnson and Jai-omni Allen-Smith, wanted to know why the seals swim upside down. Wright explained that they like to be close to the top of the water so they can see what’s below.
Next up was the Upland River room, where they spied some birds and a red bellied slider turtle.
Gallery educator Paige Ehrhard invited them to touch a real turtle shell.
They continued on to see all kinds of fish, frogs, toads, salamanders, and searched for one of the world’s largest lizards, a Komodo dragon, hiding in a habitat.
Many wanted to linger longer at the ray touch pool for a chance to reach into the water and touch a cownose ray, or Atlantic or Southern stingray.
Guest engagement educator Nathan Chmielewski praised the young visitors for their outstanding achievements. “Shout out to the Oceans of Success students,” he exclaimed.
Chmielewski told them the pool also hosts Atlantic guitar fish and spot, a fish common in the Chesapeake Bay.
Thalia Elementary fifth grader Kaiden Powell seemed captivated by the pool and its inhabitants. “I like nature and fishing and hiking,” he said.
Eleanor Richards is the gifted resource teacher at Thalia Elementary. Students knew at the beginning of the school year about the opportunity to go on the field trip, she said.
“This was a good incentive for them to continue to work hard and overcome their challenges.”
Breit said the law firm was grateful for the opportunity to encourage students to do well in school and reward them with a unique experience.
“Many of these students have never been to the aquarium, one of the greatest attractions in Virginia Beach besides the sand and ocean,” he said.
“Read, write, talk, communicate,” Breit told the students. “Think really, really big and set your goals higher than you could ever imagine.”
