In an ongoing effort to support the Jacksonville community and enhance the lives of local school children, EverBank is sponsoring two one-week day camps for high school students (ages 13-18), which will be hosted by Jacksonville University at its Marine Science Research Institute.
The camps are underwritten by EverBank and will run on weekdays from 8:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. the weeks of June 18 and June 25. About 25 students attend each week, with some doing both weeks. The money from EverBank is essential to keeping the camps affordable for low- to moderate-income families.
“We’ll expand some activities and reach out to organizations like The Bridge and Big Brothers/Big Sisters to help us reach students who might not be able to attend without EverBank’s grant,” said Dr. Quinton White Jr., executive director of the Marine Science Research Institute at JU. “This is exactly the kind of community outreach programming that we hoped to develop when we built the MSRI.”
The camps, held in conjunction with the St. Johns Riverkeeper, give students a chance to explore marine science from the estuary to the coastal environment using field trips along the St. Johns River and Northeast Florida, as well as laboratory analysis of samples collected in the field.
Attendees will be involved in all aspects of investigating marine environments, including choosing sampling methodology and sites through monitoring water chemistry; collecting, identifying and enumerating fish and invertebrate species; and presenting the collected data in graphical format.
Students will also gain hands-on experience with standard marine science collection and monitoring equipment, such as electronic monitoring equipment, plankton nets, seine nets, trawls, box cores and ponar grabs. Week One will focus on the St. Johns River, and Week Two will focus on Northeast Florida coastal habitats. The camps are independent, and students can attend one or both camps.
Camp sessions will be led by the Jacksonville University Marine Science faculty along with Duval County Public Schools and the St. Johns Riverkeeper staff. JU undergraduate marine science majors will also assist the faculty. Possible field trips include outings to the St. Johns River in downtown Jacksonville, Little Talbot Island, Ft. George Inlet, Matanzas Bay, Huguenot Park, Hannah Park and Mayport. Daily activities will include lunch in the JU Café and recreational time at the pool.
Cost is $200 per week, with care provided before and after camp sessions respectively from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., with a $50 fee. Daily attendance is also permitted at a cost of $50 per day. Scholarships are available; if interested email mscsummercamp@ju.edus. For more information and to register, call (904) 256-7766 or email pkalait@ju.edu. Deadline is May 31.
About EverBank
EverBank Financial Corp. provides a diverse range of financial products and services directly to customers nationwide through multiple business channels. Headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, EverBank has nearly $13.0 billion in assets, $10.3 billion in deposits and more than 2,400 employees. With an emphasis on value, innovation and service, EverBank offers a broad selection of banking, lending and investing products to consumers and businesses. EverBank provides services to customers through websites, over the phone, through the mail and at 14 Florida-based Financial Centers. More information on EverBank can be found at www.AboutEverBank.com.
About the Marine Science Research Institute
Jacksonville University’s Marine Science Research Institute provides a premier biological and environmental research and education facility on the St. Johns River. The two-story, 32,000-square-foot “certified-green” building is energy efficient, complete with solar panels and a rainwater drainage system. Besides classrooms, the building houses laboratories, offices for the St. Johns Riverkeeper and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and areas for teaching Duval County public school students.