by Caroline Gabsewics
Staff Writer
Children are out of school for the summer and that means education is put on the back burner for a few months. But for the children attending summer camp at the Sanctuary on 8th Street, learning is a part of their program — and so is having fun.
About 30 children from the summer camp took a boat trip on the St. Johns River to learn about the river, and for many of them it was their first time on the river.
“This gives the kids a chance to learn about the river,” said Vicky Watkins, executive director at the Sanctuary on 8th Street. “Many of them have not been to the river before.”
The is the second year CSX has sponsored the event during which the St. Johns Riverkeeper gave a two-hour tour starting at Friendship Fountain, continuing underneath both the Main Street and Hart Bridges to the banks of Exchange Island and back.
On the way to the island, St. Johns Riverkeeper Neil Armingeon spoke to the children about all of the different animals living in the river and the 183 different types of fish that call the river home.
“It is important that we protect and restore the river,” said Armingeon. “It is important that we take care of the creatures we share the world with.”
Once they got to the island the children had a chance to do a variety of experiments. The children tested the amount of oxygen in the water, pH levels, nitrogen levels and turbidity.
“The kids learned about the river, ecology and our city,” said Watkins. “Doing experiments is the best kind of learning. You learn a lot by doing.”
But the trip wasn’t all about learning. The kids had fun, too.
Johnathan Perkins, 13, said he has been on the river before but said he still learned a lot and enjoyed the view. After answering one of Armingeon’s questions correctly, Perkins got a chance to help drive the boat with Captain J.P. Gaither.
“I never drove a boat before until today,” said Perkins. “The captain let me turn the wheel. It was very fun.”
Perkins said he likes trips like this where the whole camp comes together and learns something new.
“It just benefits us,” he said. “Just getting together and having fun. It is all about education.”
Jimmy Orth, executive director of the St. Johns Riverkeeper, said having trips that are fun and educational is something that they want to do more of.
“The river is such a vital part of our community,” said Orth. “It is important kids learn more about the river, because they are the future.”
Orth said they have done this trip for the past two years with the Sanctuary on 8th Street because most of the children live in Springfield and are actually very close to the river every day.
“It gives them a chance to get out and enjoy the river,” he said. “We also want to educate them about the river because the more you know about it the more inspired you will be to take care of it.”
One of the Riverkeeper’s goals is to take more trips like this one.
“There are so many kids out there and we want to provide more opportunities and more access to the river,” he said. “It is a very unique body of water and these kids are the next generation who need to know how to protect the river.“