Fiona Scambler, left, holds up a piece of debris for Renee Roberts to inspect last Wednesday. Fiona and other children are attending the Parks and Recreation Department's Beach Explorers program at City Park to learn about and appreciate the environment.
From left, Bo Ritchie, Elise Tlacha, Kastle Powers and Radley Powers listen to instructor Kim Wickman talk about the activities planned last Wednesday for the Beach Explorers program at City Park.
A group of 6-, 7- and 8-year-old kids poured over the rocky beach near City Park on June 8 like a bunch of young Indiana Joneses, looking for artifacts.
But this group, unlike Dr. Jones, was looking for shells as part of a Beach Explorers program to use in a science experiment.
During last week's exploration, children were given a cup, guided to the beach, and instructed to find two intact seashells.
"It's fun," said Bo Ritchie, 6. "We find stuff like glass. That's what my sister does. She finds, like, glass and bones. Dog bones. Wolf bones. Bear bones. Moose bones. No human bones."
It was Bo's first time in the program, but beach searches are something his family does regularly.
"We explore the beach all the time," said Bonnie Ritchie. "I was excited about it (the program). I love Kim (Wickman), and she knows a lot about different mussels and clams and things on the beach. It's always good to get them educated on that."
Beach Explorers was created by the parks and recreation department to get children outside during the summer months and to keep them engaged in learning.
"The overall goal is to get kids outside and exploring, spending some time on the beach, learning to appreciate it," said program leader Kim Wickman, who is the Wrangell Cooperative Association IGAP technician. "Because if we appreciate things, we take better care of them."
This is the second year for the program, and before that a similar version was held as part of a Parks and Recreation day camp.
"Years prior, (Kim) would attend some of our summer recreation programming," said Lucy Robinson, recreation coordinator with Parks and Rec. "She'd come in at certain times when the tide was good, and we'd head out and meet her out here. We'd do as many things as we could just to get the kids outside."
There are 17 kids signed up for the program, with room for three more, Robinson said. Registration is available by phone at 907-874-2444 or online at wrangellrec.com. The fee is $25 per child. The group meets twice a week on Monday and Wednesday at City Park.
After the students found their two shells last Wednesday, they brought them back to the covered picnic tables at the park to conduct a science experiment.
"We're going to show the kids how you can dissolve seashells with vinegar," Wickman said. "It's cool."
Wickman said the experiment was used to help kids understand the effect of ocean acidification on marine life. "When you add the shells to a high-acid environment, it's a little bit of a take on that."
Along with the Beach Explorers, Parks and Recreation is holding a kickball league for kids 9 to 12 years old on Tuesdays and Thursdays during June, which has led to other potential offerings.
"It inspired us to think about doing an adult version," Robinson said. It would more than likely be a one-time event instead of a season. "I feel like adults are craving some activity and socializing."
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