Students study seagrass recovery in Tampa

A stand of turtle grass flows in the surf while students work with volunteers with Orlando Health to study and document the health of se grasses

As the morning sun shimmered over Tampa Bay, a small group of students leaned over the side of the research vessel Orlando’s Rose, observing the seagrass strands swaying beneath the water's surface.

Equipped with clipboards, they entered the grassy shallows to conduct measurements and identify the plants flourishing in restored meadows — an interactive marine ecology lesson that brought classroom learning into a real-world context.

On Friday, students set sail from a Gandy boatyard aboard a 60-foot floating classroom, accompanied by marine scientists and volunteers to investigate seagrass beds planted earlier in the season as part of a long-term restoration project led by the nonprofit AMIkids.

Rather than planting new shoots, the students from Manatee County concentrated on identifying species of manatee grass and turtle grass.

“I learned seagrasses have snails living on them,” said Ayden Mcnear, 13, who joined four of his classmates. “I learned the grasses are important for the environment — they could be food for the manatees, they could be a habitat.”

"We demonstrate that there is an alternative path in life," said Roxane Wergin, senior director of marketing and communications at AMIkids. "We provide them with the tools to explore and pursue that path."

While the students moved between the pre-set quadrats on the seabed, they used aquascopes to examine seagrass coverage, density, and blade growth since the previous survey.

The takeaway? Seagrass meadows are crucial for the health of Tampa Bay, as they filter pollutants, stabilize sediment, and provide nurseries for fish, crabs, and manatees.

In recent years, Tampa Bay has recovered thousands of acres of seagrass due to restoration efforts and enhanced water quality.

The marine biology program at AMIkids exemplifies how students acquire hands-on, science-based learning. Other AMIkids programs, such as scuba diving, whitewater rafting, fishing, kayaking, and camping, help develop students' confidence, purpose, and life skills.