Journey Beyond the Bay

By: Dusty Woods

     Student bonding, teamwork building and aquatic life are the three main aspects of the Catalina Island field trip. From March 21-24, marine biology teacher Mr. DeMassa took Marine Biology and AP Chemistry students on an adventurous, weekend-long trip to Fox Landing beach on Catalina Island. Lying off the coast of California, Catalina Island can be reached by boat or small plane. Approximately eight miles wide and 21 miles long, Catalina Island is a vacation hot spot and is a perfect location for a marine biology or science class to apply their knowledge.

     “There were 96 students and nine chaperones on the trip,” said Mr. DeMassa. “The chaperones were Ms. O’Brien, Ms. Dawson, Mr. Peterson, Ms. Jorgenson, my wife and myself, along with three parents from a few of the students: Mrs. Romos, Dr. Cooper and Mr. Vespender.”

     This was the second consecutive year that Red Mountain has gone to Catalina Island. The idea for the field trip was introduced by Mr. Demassa, which he received from a fellow biology teacher at Dobson High School.

     “About 20 years ago, I was teaching biology at Dobson High School with a man named Ed Eberlee, who was another biology teacher,” said Mr. DeMassa. “He had the idea of going to Catalina Island as an educational field trip to study marine biology with hands-on work and other students. I came to Red Mountain, and last year, a student named Brittany Szpytek asked me why we didn’t go on any field trips, so I brought up the idea of Catalina to Red Mountain. And we did it again this year.”

     Students had the opportunity to experience kayaking, day and night snorkeling and hiking at dawn to watch the sunrise. Additionally, they learned about many different types of fishing and visited the entire camp’s different animal touch tanks.

     “My favorite activity that we did was kayaking,” said junior Amber Bertrand. “It was my favorite because it was fun, and we got to explore on other beaches. My partner and I also had to work as a team to drive our kayak.”

     Funding for the trip came from friends and family of the students, who paid $330 with the Extracurricular Activity (ECA) tax credit contribution. This money paid for the students’ food, lodging and activities. The students shared small, cabin-like homes with plenty of breakfast, lunch and dinner served at the near-by cafeteria.

     “The food was great,” said junior Tayler Stevens. “I never left the cafeteria hungry, and I wasn’t hungry again until the next meal. There was just so much food it was hard not to get seconds.”

     Students were advised not to bring electronics due to faulty cell phone service and possibly having them lost or stolen. Having no electronics also allowed students to interact with each other and focus on the tasks at hand. Aside from swimsuits and clothing, students brought items such as under-water cameras, sleeping bags, pillows, sunscreen and snacks for the bus rides.

     “The two things I’m especially glad I brought were my toothbrush and my sun glasses,” said senior Aron Erickson. “The toothbrush got the salty ocean water taste out of my mouth and my sun glasses helped take the glare out of the water.”

     Home again, students returned to Red Mountain with interesting stories, expanded knowledge of marine biology and even some new friends. Many students also came back with souvenirs such as shirts, postcards, beanies, hats and sweatshirts all displaying the Catalina Island Marine Institute (CIMI) logos.