Coral Reef Classrooms

Imagine spending a week learning about the marine ecosystems of the world (and more specifically of Belize), why they are important, and how much they are affected by the land and its inhabitants.

Now imagine spending that same week learning that same important material here:

Photo by Justin Ahn

Naturally, your classroom would look a little bit like this:

Nick (Messiah) inspecting - but not touching - some coral
(Photo by Justin Thompson-Henney)

Full attendance for professor Laurie Furlong (photo by Justin Ahn)

Your learning implements and some of your textbooks would look like this:

A hermit crab outside of its shell

A brittle star (photo by Curtis Abney)

Curtis discovers a beast of a conch

a French Angelfish (Photo by Justin Ahn)

Snorkel gear, or... tools for learning! (Photo by Justin Ahn)

And your free time might look a little something like this:

Mara masters the art of opening coconuts (photo by Carissa Bernard)

Curtis and Justin master the art of shredding freshly opened coconuts
for consumption (photo by Justin Thompson-Henney)

Kayaking with Lauren and Catie! (Photo by Jenny McCarty)

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how CCSP Belize students learn about God's oceans and how interconnected they are with us and the land.  Thank you to professor Laurie Furlong, and to Glover's Atoll Marine Reserve for helping to teach us important lessons that we will not soon forget!

View from the reef crest of the sunset on Northeast Caye
(photo by Justin Ahn)