Over the course of the year Advanced Placement (AP) classes Biology and Environmental Science offer students a chance to attend a plethora of field trips, but the most recent will be to the Virginia Beach Aquarium and Marine Science Center. With limited spots available each class was given only ten slots and students could choose to go on either an A-day or B-day, no matter what day they had the actual class.

Students went “behind the scenes” and were given the opportunity to see the animal tanks from “up top.” Led by a tour guide, students and the teacher chaperones were able to see exactly what it takes to run an aquarium smoothly. They also learned about many different animals that spend their lives in the water such as sharks, sea turtles, and a  variety of fish. AP students were also afforded the opportunity to learn about the different jobs required that make an aquarium run smoothly and to keep all of the animals safe.

“The field trip was a great opportunity for students to get out of the classroom and see how all of the different areas of science interact in a professional and “real world” setting,” AP Biology teacher Lily Moresco said. “It also gave students that don’t normally interact with each other an opportunity to get outside their comfort zone and get to know new people.”

Although many Falcons who have grown up in Virginia Beach have visited the Aquarium before, students were given a private tour and were also given the opportunity to interact up close with the animals. Even though the opportunity to swim with the sharks wasn’t put ‘on the table’, it was quite the experience to simply see and learn about marine life up close.

According to junior Elle Vanoverberghe, the field trip was a great learning experience for her to gain insight into marine life and what the career of Marine Biology entails, a field in which she has she has interest.