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Eight students from the New Bedford Whaling Museum High School Apprenticeship Program headed to Woods Hole for the ǧ����Ƶ’s Coral Reefs in a Changing World high school science discovery course.

"The eight students, who are all participating in the award winning New Bedford Whale Museum Apprenticeship program, spent the week shifting their attention from whales to other elements of ocean life. What a great learning experience and partnership!" said Linda Hyman, MBL's Director of Education.

The Coral Reefs in a Changing World course, taught by MBL Associate Scientist Loretta Roberson, explores coral reef ecosystems—from cell to reef. Students learn about the symbiotic relationship between coral and dinoflagellates, as well as life on a Woods Hole “coral reef,” through hands-on experiences with micro and macroscopic imaging techniques. Key principles of the biology and ecology of corals are covered. By course end, students can describe key Cnidarian characteristics, identify key threats to coral reef systems, and utilize different tools—from imaging to mapping—used in coral research.

As part of their time in the course, and as a way to demonstrate how much they learned about using the microscopes, the students participated in a photo competition. The two categories—Imaging and Art Installation—produced some truly spectacular results. Below are the First and Second place winners for each category.