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Dear Sx3 Family,
As summer slips away, it’s hard to believe our 21st camp season has come to an end. And what a summer it was. Across Island Skills, Sea Squirts, teen camps, and our CIT programs, 1,042 campers and CITs joined us this summer.
Our campers explored, discovered, laughed, learned, and got wonderfully, gloriously dirty. We had once-in-a-lifetime sightings, including a sawfish cruising in the shallows and sea turtle hatchlings starting their long journey into open water; faced challenges while camping outdoors and learned a lot about ourselves as we overcame them; and formed friendships we hope will last far beyond the summer. There were surf races won, and surf races lost, and our Golden Coconut is now adorned with a summer’s worth of fresh new bracelets and stories. There were countless hours spent salty, sandy, sun-soaked, and free—and we wouldn’t have it any other way.
This summer would not have been possible without our incredible staff. Each one brought their own curiosity, energy, and personality to our little corner of the island, and each helped make this summer special in their own way.
To our full-time staff (Annie, Austin, Izzy, Craig, Jorydn, and Emily), our summer camp counselors (Jazmin, Jack, Jake, Tom, Bella, Monika, Liz, Kaley, Alissa, and Maddie), and seasonal marine science educators (Stevie & Kelsey): thank you. You worked long days in the South Florida heat, navigated the inevitable challenges that come with a summer spent outside, and still showed up each morning with a smile and enthusiasm for whatever the day had in store. You made an incredible contribution to Sanibel Sea School and, most importantly, to the lives of the young people in your care.
One of my favorite parts of summer is watching our Sanibel Sea School family grow. Every year, we welcome a new group of counselors who are beginning to find their paths in science, education, and conservation. I feel incredibly lucky to work alongside them, and while we certainly hope many of them will return next summer, I’m even more excited to see where they go and all the amazing things they’ll accomplish. The Sx3 family just keeps getting bigger!
Now, as we turn our attention toward the school year, there is plenty to look forward to. Homeschool at Sea is open for registration this fall, our after-school program is already off to an exciting start with Sanibel School students, and we’re thrilled to welcome middle schoolers into the program as CITs this year. Community Camp dates are here, and next month our long-term A Chance to Sea partnerships will begin again. We also have some exciting new programs and announcements on the horizon that we can’t wait to share with you.
But first, we’re going to take a little time to catch our breath. After a very full spring and summer, our staff will be taking a well-deserved break from September 7 - 16 to rest, regroup, and recharge. That means we’ll be taking a break from the newsletter next month, too. We’ll be back open on September 17, refreshed and ready to share more stories, more discoveries, and, of course, more ocean magic with you.
Until then, thank you for being part of the Sanibel Sea School and for helping us make another unforgettable summer possible.
With gratitude and sandy feet,
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