In the wake of World Oceans Week (pun intended), MSVU President Dr. Joël Dickinson joined a Child & Youth Study team – alongside students from C&YS 3333 – and a crew from Coastal Action for a coastal clean-up day.
The group departed from Sambro Public Wharf and travelled by boat to several locations collecting garbage (mostly plastics) that littered the shoreline.
Plastic pollution in our oceans is a global crisis. It kills marine life, threatens eco systems, and contaminates our food chain. Seeing the issue first-hand deepens your perspective. In just a matter of hours, the team collected enough garbage on a small stretch of Nova Scotia coastline to fill a typical residential swimming pool.
The event was organized by Dr. Shane Theunissen, Associate Professor in Child & Youth Study. Shane is a champion of experiential learning and a Teaching Excellence Award winner. He’s also an experienced sailor and has even incorporated scuba diving into a previous Child & Youth Study course curriculum.
Shane believes that immersing Child & Youth Study students in community-based experiences is valuable. He points out that many students in the program will go on to careers as educators, making it essential to both model the value of experiential learning and expose them to environments they might not otherwise encounter.
Coastal Action is hosting more clean-up trips throughout the summer. Volunteers are welcome. Learn more on the Coastal action website.