Where the Estuary Meets the Ocean: GTM Research Reserve and Sharks4Kids Partner for an Unforgettable Summer Camp

Author: Chelsea Crosby

Summer camp is usually known for campfires, crafts, and outdoor games. But at the Guana Tolomato Matanzas (GTM) Research Reserve, campers are trading standard camp routines for seine nets, water-sampling kits, and shark science.

This summer, GTM’s "Adventures in the Estuary" summer camp has teamed up with Sharks4Kids to bring dynamic, hands-on marine science right to our local students. By combining GTM’s rich estuarine outdoor classroom with Sharks4Kids’ world-class marine biology expertise, this partnership is transforming campers into junior shark scientists. One day a week, campers will dive into the world of shark science, meeting real scientists, conservationists, divers, and more while getting hands-on and interactive activities to spark their curiosity and inspire ocean exploration.

From Textbooks to Tide Pools: Learning by Doing

Marine science can feel abstract when it’s only read about in a classroom. This collaboration changes that by plunging students directly into the environment where these concepts come alive.

The estuary—where freshwater rivers mix with the salty Atlantic Ocean—serves as the perfect backdrop. Campers explore how this critical ecosystem acts as a nursery for countless marine species, including many coastal sharks.

What Campers Are Doing:

• Acting as Junior Scientists: Campers wade into Guana Lake to pull seine nets, catching and identifying native fish and crabs using real scientific identification keys.

• Tracking and Data Collection: Through dynamic Sharks4Kids lessons, students learn the method behind tracking sharks, discovering how marine biologists use acoustic and satellite tags to map open-ocean movements and why this matters for shark conservation.

• Superpowers and Adaptations: From testing local water quality to touching real shark artifacts (like jaws and dermal denticles—the microscopic "skin teeth" that make sharks hydrodynamic), kids get up close with the physical tools of the trade.

Why This Matters: Getting kids up close and personal with real people, tools and activities that strive to protect the ocean changes their entire perspective on science. It stops being a subject in a book and becomes an adventure they can actively participate in. 

Breaking Down Stereotypes, Building Up Advocates

One of the core missions of the Sharks4Kids curriculum at camp is dispelling the deep-rooted myths surrounding sharks. Instead of seeing these animals as mindless predators, campers learn about their vital role as apex predators keeping our oceans balanced and healthy.

By introducing students to real-world shark conservation data—like tracking population trends and looking at IUCN classifications—the camp empowers them to become a voice for ocean conservation. They learn that no matter their age, their choices impact the health of our local waterways and the global ocean beyond.

Inside the Camp Routine

The partnership seamlessly weaves high-energy field research into classic camp experiences. A typical day balances deep-dive science rotations with outdoor activities designed to let kids just be kids.

• Daily Core Science

Diving right in, the morning “Shark Tank” allows students to explore jaws, 3d printed skulls, dermal denticle plates, teeth and more where they have an opportunity to get curious while learning about biology, habitats and more. Students also have hands-on crafts like making shark egg cases, air-dry clay shark teeth, hammerhead hats, and more.

• Eco-Adventures

Guided shark tooth hunt/identification, hammerhead hunt in the sand with a specialized hammerhead stuffy and hidden stingrays, and real-life-size comparison of different shark species invite students to actively engage with marine science concepts directly on the beach across from GTM. 

• Chat with a scientist

Campers meet via zoom one of S4K’s team members who work in a specialized field sharing their experiences with shark science, diving, fossils…etc They answer any questions campers might have while encouraging them to think critically and creatively about their own mindset and contributions to protecting the world around them. 

6/04 Week 1: Intro To Sharks with Chelsea Crosby

6/11 Week 2: Prehistoric Sharks with Dr. Jack Cooper

6/18 Week 3: Bull Shark Philopatry and Shark Genetics with MSMS Student Bri Loughead 

6/25 Week 4: Intro To Sharks with Chelsea Crosby

7/17 STEAM Week: Shark Science with Jillian Morris, Marine Biologist and Founder of Sharks4Kids

Inspiring the Next Generation

By Friday pickup, these campers aren't just going home with sand in their shoes—they’re leaving with a genuine understanding of how field research works. Whether they grow up to be marine biologists or simply ocean-conscious citizens, the experiences built through GTM and Sharks4Kids will give them foundational respect for the wild spaces right in their backyard.

All images by Chelsea Crosby, approved by GTM Research Reserve and Sharks4kids