The beginning of this school year started off a little different for seven students from the Niceville High School Gifted Research Program.
They recently returned from an eight-day trip to British Columbia, Canada, where they presented their Northwest Florida NaGISA program, nagisa. This occurred at the 3rd World Congress of Marine Stations at the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre on Vancouver Island. Organized by the World Association of Marine Stations (WAMS), it brought together global marine-station leaders. Researchers from around the world participated.
Niceville is the only high school in the world affiliated with the Natural Geography of In-Shore Areas (NaGISA) global marine diversity study of the world’s coastline. The NaGISA project was one of fourteen field projects of the Census of Marine Life. Twice a year, Niceville Gifted students perform beach and dive collection and analysis that feeds data to the overall NaGISA project.
Opportunities like the trip to Bamfield offer the chance for Niceville NaGISA to showcase their program on a world stage.
Moreover, “Our presentation at the 2nd World Congress in Japan in November 2024 showed the marine biology community Niceville’s capabilities.” It opened many doors for our program, said Richard Hernandez, Teacher of the Gifted at NHS and the NaGISA advisor.
The opportunity for high school students to attend international conferences is unprecedented. They attend as equals to PhD.D. research scientists.
Niceville’s participation at the Bamfield conference consisted of two parts.
Additionally, a four-student briefing team gave a formal overview presentation of the NHS Gifted Program.
It highlighted the program’s flexibility to adapt to projects useful to marine researchers and the NaGISA project.
Three other students led a poster presentation showing the NHS program’s versatility and the students’ capacity to complete tasks.
Senior Julia Milz was the youngest member on the 2024 Japan trip.
She was the most experienced student on the Bamfield trip.
The trip was amazing, Milz said.
Additionally, everyone did a great job preparing and delivering our presentations.
We met some of the same professionals we originally met in Japan.
Additionally, this was nice, because we could talk about everything we’ve done in the past two years.
I’ve had a chance to travel internationally with NaGISA four times.
Additionally, we are all so grateful for these opportunities Mr. Hernandez arranges for us.
Hernandez echoed his students’ sentiments.
The trip to Canada could not have been better.
Indeed, we were at a real marine science research facility in remote western Canada.
We could see first-hand the work they are doing.
This time we were not an unknown group.
Moreover, the marine community could see that what we presented in Japan was the norm rather than an exception.
Additionally, the NHS Gifted Program NaGISA Project has put Niceville High School and Okaloosa County on the map.
Moreover, they have been invited to join the National Association of Marine Labs.
Additionally, they will attend the 4th World Congress of Marine Stations in Helgoland, Germany, in September 2028.
Additionally, two days after returning from Canada, Hernandez received an invitation to attend the 12th WESTPAC conference.
Furthermore, they will also attend the 3rd United Nations Ocean Decade Regional Conference in Manila, Philippines, next April.
What these students are doing would be exceptional at the university level.
Nevertheless, at the high school level, they are remarkable, explained Hernandez.
The level of research they conduct is exceptional.
The conferences they present at exceed typical college or professional involvement.
These students will graduate from Niceville ready for anything college will throw at them.
NHS Gifted graduates routinely attend top universities.
Students from the 2024 Japan trip are currently attending schools.
These include the University of Florida, Florida State, Northwestern University, West Point, and Georgia Tech.
Although NHS NaGISA has had notable success, the program faces challenges. Additionally, Hernandez explains that finances are the main roadblock we currently have. Thus, each collection event costs around $2000, and we do two per year. Also, upkeep of our lab gear runs about $1500 annually. Furthermore, the Canada trip ran upwards of $30,000. However, we are grateful for the few sponsors that helped defray travel costs, but most expenses fall on the students. Additionally, Hernandez and his students plan ideas to attract sponsors. Ultimately, the goal is to support the important work NHS NaGISA has been doing since 2003. Finally, anyone interested in supporting the program is encouraged to reach out via email at hernandezr@okaloosaschools.com.
