Pier Aquarium Announces Summer Marine Adventures

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Emily Stehle, APR
office: (727) 803-9799, ext. 207
cell: (727) 688-7993
estehle@pieraquarium.org
www.pieraquarium.org

PIER AQUARIUM ANNOUNCES SUMMER CAMPS
New Camp for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children Added

St. Petersburg, FL (May 24, 2010) - For the first time in Pinellas County, deaf and hard of hearing children will be offered a summer camp specifically designed for them at The Pier Aquarium.

This new camp called Explore the Bay has been jointly created by the staffs of the aquarium and the Family Center on Deafness, Inc., a program of the James B. Sanderlin Family Service Center. It is unique because it employs visual, hands-on educational activities to provide experiential learning for the participants. Deaf and hard of hearing campers will communicate with staff through sign language, speech reading and amplification, as is most appropriate for each individual’s needs.

The camp, said Pier Aquarium President/CEO E. Howard Rutherford, is an extension of the deaf docent Virtual Tour Guide program initiated two years ago to enhance and diversify the aquarium’s visitor experience.

Charon Feild Aurand, Director of the Family Center on Deafness (FCD), said the center offers summer camps each year, but this new collaboration would "make the education at the aquarium accessible to children who have hearing loss.” During this special camp, in addition to learning about Tampa Bay, the campers will visit Panama, a deaf dolphin at Clearwater Marine Aquarium, the Physiology Lab USF St. Petersburg and Mote Marine Lab.

Three million Floridians are deaf or hard of hearing and approximately 1/6 of Florida’s citizens are affected by hearing loss.

"The mission of Family Center on Deafness is to link Pinellas County households with deaf or hard of hearing members to relevant services by providing programs and referrals for parents, youth and community partners that promote family and individual independence and self-sufficiency,” said Mrs. Aurand. 

Both FCD and The Pier Aquarium said Explore the Bay was just the first of many exciting projects on which they will be collaborating through their ongoing partnership.

The aquarium’s 10 other camps are:
June 9-11: Estuary Explorers for kids entering first-fourth grade this fall. Explore Weedon Island and natural Florida.

June 21-25: Let's Get Fresh for kids entering third or fourth grade. Learn about the origins of water, explore rivers and streams, take a trip to Crystal Springs Preserves.

June 28-July 2: Go with the Flow for kids entering fifth or sixth grade. Learn about the watershed and visit Weedon Island and Shell Key.

July 5-9: Worlds of Water for kids entering first and second grade. Explore the ocean and take road trips to Mote Marine Lab, Florida Aquarium and the estuary of Tampa Bay in our backyard.

July 12-16: Adventures Afloat for kids entering fifth or sixth grade. Climb aboard to learn about water safety and enjoy sailing, fishing and kayaking.

July 26-30: Marine Mammals for kids entering first-fourth grade. Learn about mammals and have a close encounter with them at the Clearwater Aquarium.

Aug. 2-6: Elasmobranch Encounters for kids entering third-sixth grade. Mysteries about sharks and sting rays are unveiled to campers with trips to Mote Marine Lab and the Florida Aquarium.

For more camp information and an application, please go to www.pieraquarium.org or contact Susan Sawyer, ssawyer@pieraquarium.org, (727) 895-7437, ext. 205.

About the Family on Deafness, Inc., a program of the James B. Sanderlin Family Service Center www.familyondeafness.org

The Family Center on Deafness, Inc. is a consumer-driven program that is overseen by an advisory council of diverse shareholders. FCD draws on participant and community assets in building and providing services.

The FCD is funded primarily by the Juvenile Welfare Board Children’s Services Council of Pinellas County and partners with the Pinellas County School Board and many other community agencies in serving families that include deaf or hard of hearing youth and adults.

The FCD staff is uniquely qualified in the field of deafness with expertise in the social, psychological and educational impact of hearing loss, Deaf Culture, American Sign Language and the needs of the residents accessing these services. They strive constantly to ensure that participants are aware of and able to access all potential resources.

Program services include parent/infant activities, a before/after-school program, teen enrichment and leadership activities, individual and group tutoring, parent and community education, a family support group, youth and family recreational activities, literacy and sign language instruction, a community resource library, a transition program for young adults, interpreting services for the target population, family support through case management, mental health counseling, advocacy, and referral to other organizations or agencies.

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