Central Coast Aquarium Sharing Marine Science Education

By MARY FOPPIANO

For Avila Beach Life

The Central Coast Aquarium (CCA), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, was founded in 1994 in Avila Beach, when local residents Russel and Carol Kiessig realized their passion for marine science education. Their vision was to create an opportunity for everyone, but especially children, to learn about marine science in an exciting, hands-on environment that would promote an interest in science and a dedication to ocean stewardship.

The Central Coast Aquarium is the only organization in our region to provide interactive marine science education for grades K-12. They meet this need with diverse, engaging programs that reach a broad array of students. The students who attend their programs come primarily from SLO County, but they also service schools in Kern, Fresno, and Santa Barbara Counties. In 2022, their school programs involved over 3,000 students.

Central Coast Aquarium is rooted in community involvement. They are supported and carried by their volunteers who generously donate their time to help their mission succeed. They are situated in the heart of Avila Beach where locals and tourists can walk through their doors and receive an immersive aquarium experience. They believe the best way to achieve their mission of creating a community dedicated to ocean stewardship is to create impactful and meaningful ways for all members of their community to connect with the ocean and its inhabitants. To achieve these goals, they currently offer school programs, camps, lectures, and a public aquarium with local marine species. They engage in community outreach events including beach cleanups and school, library, and state fair outreach events. Since the beginning of their organization in 1994, their education program has successfully taught over 26,000 students from seven counties and 1,400 summer campers. In addition, nearly 88,000 visitors have visited their aquarium exhibit hall. They have twenty-eight years of educational experience that they intend to utilize to carry their mission forward and their staff is excited and keen to continue working with their local community and implement new programs and projects.

This past September, Rebecca Creighton came on as their Director of Animal Husbandry and they couldn’t be more excited to have her! Rebecca hails from beautiful southern Maryland where she grew up raising livestock on her family’s small hobby farm. A proud alumnus of

University of Maryland, she earned her bachelor’s degree in agricultural science and technology in 2015. After pursuing a career in agriculture communications, she left her desk job to join the Peace Corps as an agriculture extension agent in Madagascar where she discovered an amazing culture. After returning from service, she pursued her dream of working in the marine science field and served as an educator at an aquarium, as an endangered species observer on dredge ships, as a coral restoration biologist, and as a PADI divemaster until she decided to move to California to work for the Central Coast Aquarium. Rebecca is responsible for the wellness, feeding, and care of all aquatic animals in the aquarium. Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to, scheduling and management of animal feeding and care, tank/ habitat upkeep, tank maintenance, and the collection and assimilation of new animals. Rebecca assists with educational programs, exhibit hall tours, and public feedings. This past October, Jaclyn Mann started as their Director of Programs and Education.

Jaclyn grew up down the 101 in Ventura, CA. She graduated from Cal Poly, SLO in 2011 with her B.S. in Biological Sciences and a minor in Environmental Sciences. After a gap year, she moved down to Long Beach for graduate school at Cal State University, Long Beach. While in Long Beach, she trained to become a PADI scuba instructor while also completing internships for wetlands restoration and biological monitoring. She worked for the Long Beach Marine Institute as a marine science educator for over 3 years, gaining valuable science education experience while teaching locally and on Catalina Island. Upon completion of her program, she graduated with an M.S. in Biological Sciences as a part of Dr. Bengt Allen’s Marine Ecology Lab. Jaclyn jumped at the opportunity to return to the Central Coast and join the aquarium’s staff. She is responsible for the planning and execution of all the aquarium’s educational programs. Under her leadership, Jaclyn works with volunteers to help facilitate their programs including outreach events, school and library visits, discovery labs at the aquarium, exhibit hall tours, and lectures. Join them for a fun-filled week (March 27-31) of hands-on marine science experiments, dissections, crafts, and games! Each day their campers will learn about the marine life and ecosystems that make up the world’s oceans. Activities will cover topics like Marine Mammals, Tide Pooling, Sharks and Rays, Ocean Conservation, Animal Adaptations, and Swashbucklers of the Past. To register or for more information, please contact Jaclyn Mann at jaclyn@ centralcoastaquarium.org or (805) 457-5357.