Savvy Students Spend Summer Surveying

GALVESTON, Texas - Instead of presenting odd creatures in a studio, FOX 26 Morning News presents children who are volunteering and finding out about sea creatures in this edition of Wild Wednesday, sponsored by Moody Gardens.

The teens, along with adult instructors, experienced Caribbean Collection Day as part of the Society for the Advancement of Volunteer Youth program, but this is not an ordinary day at the beach.

"We caught a mullet and I don't know what the big fish was, but it gets exciting seeing what you can catch and how much you can bring in at one time," said TJ Luedtke, a SAVY participant.

Greg Whittaker, animal husbandry director at Moody Gardens, told FOX 26 Morning News anchor Jose Grinan, "This is by far the most eye-opening field trip that we take kids on, but coming out here into nature, I can't even predict what they'll find on a day-to-day basis. So, everyday is brand new."

"It's just helping out and one of the volunteer things that we get and I'm out here for hours for college," said Luedtke.

Lauren Ballentine, 14, is just one of several dozen teens who are getting their hands and feet wet during the summer at Moody Gardens.

"I've always loved the beach and Ioved the water, but then when you get to come out and just enjoy the nature, you look at it in a completely different eye," said SAVY participant Rachel Lisewsky.

The SAVY program started when the Moody Gardens aquarium opened in the late 1990s. Since then, marine biologists at Moody Gardens have been teaching.

"Just respect for nature. There's a lot of stuff out here that's really kind of cool, and a lot of kids don't get to see that. So, we try to show them some of the stuff that's in their backyard," said Moody Gardens marine biologist Ben LaBelle.

Cameron Goodall became involved with SAVY in 2008 and thought it would be great way to spend this summer.

"I think this is actually pulling me away from I would be doing. I'd probably be sitting home watching TV and going out with my friends occasionally, but I think this is better because I learned last year it helped me in my 8th grade year 'cause in science we were doing animals and stuff like that and I knew all of the stuff about them. So, it helped me a lot," said Goodall

"It builds over time to where it could turn into a career for them. So, it benefits them. It benefits us. It's really a win-win situation all the way around," added Whittaker.

And it is a great way for a teen to spend a SAVY summer.