Many students enter the school year not knowing which electives to choose. Newsome offers a plethora of fun and unique electives, but one choice that truly stands out for its curriculum and unique activities is the marine science program offered at Newsome. Students can take Marine Science 1 and 2, gaining knowledge about the oceanic ecosystem that surrounds Florida. While Newsome has offered these two courses for a while, this year a new marine science teacher has been introduced. Ms. Wernicki is the perfect new fit for this wonderful program, as she has “always enjoyed being outside either traveling, hiking, paddleboarding, or camping.” She even leads kayak tours out on the waters of St. Pete in her free time, cultivating her love for the marine ecosystems around the area.

   In the classroom, Ms. Wernicki’s marine science class brings the minds of students out to the shores: “First semester includes tanks, history, and the chemistry and physics components of the oceans. Second semester kicked off with estuaries and will continue to be on all living things and how they interact with the environment, as well as some dissections.” This course ranges from ecosystems to water chemistry to all marine animals, and even teaches students about climate change and marine habitat loss, some important issues that are becoming rampant in coastal areas of the world. 

   While this year’s marine science classes haven’t been as full as some of the higher-priority classes, those who take this course are blown away by the involvement in marine science it offers. Students in Newsome’s marine science classes get the opportunity to maintain saltwater fish tanks with fish of their very own living inside. Ms. Wernicki oversees it all, noting how much students enjoy having some scaly friends to care for: “Students enjoy checking on theirs and other classes’ tanks. The various fish have fun personalities… One fish, our Diamond Goby, ‘eats’ sand and burrows tunnels.” 

   The marine science courses offered at Newsome adds quite an exciting element to the science department. Students become well-versed in the natural world and gain a love for the ocean through these classes. With the addition of interactive labs, dissections, projects, and even caring for a fish tank for the year, the marine science courses are not to be overlooked on the course selection sheet.