ISEA’s Schoolship program is for students from 4th–12th grade. Students come on board and participate in a three-and-a-half (3.5)- hour-long hands-on Great Lakes ecology experience, designed to promote stewardship of the Great Lakes. Our Schoolship instructors are trained by ISEA staff and become proficient in a learning station (no experience is necessary). Instructors guide students in small groups as they rotate through stations and discover the wonders of the Great Lakes. Our sailing season is mid-May through mid-October. Spring and Fall are dedicated to school groups. Volunteers are also needed for summer programs, which are open to the general public.
As a Schoolship instructor volunteer, you will:
- Assist students (and adults) as they rotate through stations, learning about plankton, benthos, fish, water chemistry, microplastics, and seamanship
- Help participants take limnology samples using scientific equipment
- Share information about Inland Seas with participants
- If you are interested in becoming a Schoolship volunteer or have any questions, please contact Volunteer Coordinator Lia Cook at (231) 271-3077 ext. 106 or lcook@schoolship.org.