On October 1-3, juniors and seniors in IB/AP Marine Science and IB/AP Biology were given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to travel to Catalina Island with their classmates and teachers on an extremely rewarding and action-packed trip. For seniors, it was a chance to spend meaningful time with their class, make lasting memories, and experience a moment of decompression from the stress of the college application season. For juniors, Catalina was a fun and relaxing getaway from the hustle and bustle of junior year, which is quickly ramping up. Catalina allowed students to wave goodbye to the warmth and relaxation of summer and officially welcome the 2025 school year.
Eighteen years ago, Ms. Finnerty and Ms. Kippe started the Catalina Field trip. AP Biology teacher Ms. Finnerty revealed that “they wanted to create something that would focus on ecosystems near our local area and also include the uniqueness of Catalina because it’s a desert island and we can offer both the marine aspects of snorkeling and the terrestrial terrain with hiking.” The Biology department was searching for an intriguing field trip that was comparable to AP Environmental’s trip to Yosemite at the time, which got students to eagerly sign up for the course, and Catalina was the “perfect combination for AP Biology. ” Later, Ms. Brislen combined forces with Ms. Finnerty, and she began bringing her IB Marine students. The rest is history, and now Catalina is a rite of passage that students look forward to each year when they sign up for the AP biological sciences.
Students traveled to Fox Landing Marine Institute. It was a picturesque location with colorful beach front cabins, hiking trails, and the surrounding warm, teal water. For many Marine and Biology students, it was their first time visiting Catalina Island, and they were amazed that this island oasis is just an hour boat ride away from home. Once students arrived, they were split into various activity groups and assigned different daily agendas.
On Wednesday, half of the students spent the afternoon snorkeling and diving for a variety of algae for a photosynthesis lab where they studied the effects of water temperature and sunlight intensity on the coloring of algae. As they collected algae, they were amazed at the clear, blue waters, a variety of marine life, including the California state fish, the Garibaldi, and the prominent kelp forests. Senior and IB Marine student Hannah Pearson thought the snorkeling was a “great opportunity to learn about marine science through experiences that you can’t really have in the classroom.” The students who opted not to attend Catalina used online generators to try to mirror the effects of sunlight and temperature intensity on photosynthesis, which did not have the same impact as witnessing natural processes that attendees were afforded. One of the highlights of the trip was night snorkeling. Students geared up in full body wetsuits and swam around with flashlights as they observed stingrays, fish, lobster, and leopard sharks.
THE SCENIC VIEWS from the hiking adventure. (Sophia Howard)
While half of the students snorkeled, the others paddled through the calm waves in kayaks and played team-building games, which were equally as memorable. Senior and AP Biology student Kai Wells remarked that “it was a very fun experience and [she] got to meet with new people and learn more about our oceans and environment” as she soaked up the sun and the beauty of her surroundings.
Each night ended with the warmth and positive energy radiating from the campfires and propelled students forward with excitement for the next day. Thursday and Friday were filled with labs on marine life, a memorable squid dissection, opportunities to free swim, and a challenging, yet extremely rewarding, hike with spectacular views.
After an action packed three days, students returned tired, sunburnt, eager to regain cell service, and excited to share all of their memories with family and friends. Senior and IB Marine student Reese Tremper claimed she “would absolutely recommend it to future students, even if you don’t plan to pursue science!” So if you’re a sophomore or junior interested in taking IB/AP Marine or Biology, you should definitely partake in this amazing opportunity!
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