PASCO and Carolina Ocean Studies, Inc.

PASCO is excited to be part of the Carolina Ocean Studies program, which sponsors beach studies and marine education boating cruises for public and private school groups, grades K-12. In addition to the course curriculum, students and teachers can now conduct hands-on data collection using PASCO’s probeware to study and measure a variety of environmental phenomena.

What is the Carolina Ocean Studies program?

Managed by Director Richard Cecelski, this standards-based learning program operates from two locations —Beaufort and Carolina Beach, North Carolina. The program offers over 25,000 students a year the opportunity to explore North Carolina's most isolated islands and coastal waters. Experienced instructors lead trips to some of the most magnificent natural areas, including Shakleford Banks, Masonboro Island, Ocean Reefs and the Cape Lookout Lighthouse on the Outer Banks.

The goal of the program is to get students excited about the workings of ecosystems and to help them appreciate conservation. By directly involving them in a variety of activities along the shoreline and on fishing boats—from pulling nets in the salt marsh and digging for clams to observing dolphins swimming in the rich Atlantic waters—students see marine life up close and better learn about the fragile balance and interdependencies of nature.

Using PASCO’s probeware, students can measure the temperature, pH and dissolved oxygen levels of different water samples, as well as aspects of the area's ever-changing weather, including air temperature, humidity and barometric pressure. Students also get the chance to learn about this historic area's past, including a visit to the 140-year-old Cape Lookout Lighthouse and viewing sunken ships three miles offshore.