Amanda Miracle, an environmental science teacher at the Hammond Academy of Science and Technology, was invited by Robin Goettel, IISG associate director for education, to co-present on her students’ aquatic invasive species (AIS) stewardship projects at the recent National Council for Geographic Education (NCGE) Conference. Here, Amanda is demonstrating a ballast water simulation model showing how invaders can easily spread throughout the Great Lakes. One of the session’s attendees was a geography curriculum specialist from the Denver public school system.

This presentation is part of a larger campaign through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative project, A Comprehensive Regional Public Outreach Campaign on AIS. A primary goal of this project is to actively involve Great Lakes region students in community stewardship projects, where they can implement their new understanding of AIS and associated impacts. This joint venture with teachers incorporates the Nab the Aquatic Invader! website, which is being enhanced with new activities and mapping information. A new AIS Stewardship Education Network—also serves to sustain and improve aquatic ecosystem biodiversity. Teachers in Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, and New York will be invited to co-present at next year’s NCGE conference in Texas.

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Looking for a fun way to teach about marine debris? Check out Me and Debry, which is a whimsical, 30‑minute, audience‑participation play created for @UWiscSeaGrant. It helps students explore what marine debris is, why it matters, and how we can make a difference in the Great Lakes.The full script (English) and participation scripts (English, Spanish, and Hmong) are free to use, along with marketing materials for performances.Bring learning to life and start a conversation about litter in our waters!Check it out at the link in bio.#TeachingTuesday
Do you work or live along the Great Lakes coasts? Watch our newly released video series collection, containing several short videos that overview the range of coastal protection options in the Great Lakes, including:- Natural processes in the Great Lakes- Hard coastal protection structures and how they interact with/alter natural processes- Nature-based coastal solutions in the Great Lakes, ranging from green to gray approachesFind our two new video series at the link in bio.
Located in Washington, D.C., the Sea Grant Knauss Fellowship provides a unique educational and professional experience to graduate students who have an interest in ocean, coastal and Great Lakes resources, and in the national policy decisions affecting those resources. This is a one-year fellowship open to any student, regardless of citizenship, who is enrolled toward a degree in a graduate or professional program on the day of the deadline.Students enrolled at an Illinois or Indiana university or college should submit their applications through Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant by emailing Angela Archer at amcbride@purdue.edu. Students in surrounding states without a Sea Grant program should contact the National Sea Grant College Program at oar.sg.fellows@noaa.gov for a referral. Application deadline: June 3, 2026.To learn more about the fellowship, visit the link in bio.