Camp Aqua exposes local kids to Coast environmental treasures

GULFPORT, Miss. (WLOX) - No, it’s not an alien autopsy at Area 51. Campers with the Boys and Girls Club of the Gulf Coast spent Friday dissecting squid at Camp Aqua at the Mississippi Aquarium.

They got to see all the wonders of the Mississippi Aquarium and much more. The camp is sponsored by the Mississippi Power Foundation and the Bacot-McCarty Foundation.

“Our hope for this week’s campers is that they are inspired to learn a little bit about our wildlife and out local ecosystems and take that curiosity with them as they continue their educational journey,” said Steven Dick, foundation executive director at Mississippi Power.

The kids also got a trip to Ship Island and took part in a beach cleanup.

“You don’t know who you’re going to reach and who will take this to heart and maybe one day become a marine biologist,” said Todd Trenchard, executive director with the Bacot-McCarty Foundation.

The campers get to see the world and experience the treasures that South Mississippi has to offer.

“The mission of the Boys and Girls Club is to enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring and responsible citizens,” said Wayne Buchanan, chief operating officer with Boys and Girls Club of the Gulf Coast. “You just never know the imagination of a child where they may be thinking they can do this.”

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