The Making of an Ocean Day Event

An Ocean Day Story:

Early in the morning the day of the event, volunteers set up the aerial art design on the beach.

Before the schools begin to arrive, volunteers gather at the top of the bluff for an overview of the day and instructions.

The schools begin to arrive! They head for the restoration and clean-up area.

As schools begin to arrive, the restoration area bustles with activity as students begin picking up trash and pulling invasive plants.

The students set to work pulling out invasive plants and cleaning up trash. A student lugs an armload of European Beachgrass to his class pile.

Two students work on pulling out the invasive Yellow Bush Lupine.

A teacher helps her students count the nodes on a European Beachgrass root. Each node has the potential to sprout another plant.

A student gently works on pulling out his entry for the "longest root" contest.

In just a few short hours, the schools clear the entire restoration area of invasive European Beachgrass! We were all amazed at the difference.

A class poses with their giant pile of European Beachgrass, proud of a job well done.

After hard work pulling beachgrass and cleaning up trash, the schools prepare to enter the aerial art design. Here, the letter "R" is being filled in.

Getting into the aerial art formation was a big project!

But we all had fun as we created our design and prepared for the arrival of the helicopter.

Finally, we are ready. The anticipation builds as the design is completed and the wait for the helicopter begins.

We wonder if we look like what we think we look like.

It is an exciting moment when the helicopter arrives!

All in all, the event has been a big success!

Our designs turned out just like we planned! We did look like what we thought we looked like! Aerial art photos by Gary Todoroff.

Ocean Day was a lot of fun. We hope maybe you will join us next year!