Early arrival students experience West Coast aquatic life

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By Simon Greenhill and Casey Miller, Counselors-in-Training

Newsroom by the Bay’s early arrival students spent Sunday at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, a center for marine research and education located 90 miles south of Stanford in Monterey, California.

The early arrival program gives jetlagged students a chance to settle in at Stanford before the program’s official start Monday. This year, early arrival students flew in from as far as the Netherlands and South Korea.

“It was amazing to go out with the group to such a fun and interactive place. [But] the best part was getting to know our little group of 8,” said Year 1 student Natalie Chinn, of Seattle.

The aquarium staff were very accommodating to NBTB students and counselors. Year 2 student Reede Goldberg, of New York, said, “It was a great place to be and the staff at the aquarium were knowledgeable and seemed excited to work there.”

The students visited the Aquarium’s famous jelly fish exhibit, saw a sea otter feeding and walked along Cannery Row, the street made famous in author John Steinbeck’s novel of the same name.

Year 1 student Katherine Halama, of Colorado, said, “The aquarium gave the group and me an inside look to the extensive variety of organisms in the Bay Area. It was really fascinating!”

Chinn added, “I love learning about different aquatic animals, especially the jellyfish. Watching the different sea creatures in their habitats was incredible.”

Newsroom by the Bay will have its official start tomorrow, with the “Ready, Set, Go!” workshop at 9 a.m. and the program-wide kick-off at 3 p.m.