The Mississippi Coastal Cleanup Program (MSCCP) is bringing hands-on experiences to Coastal Mississippi classrooms! MSCCP is a non-profit educational program that promotes the conservation of the local marine environment by facilitating active stewardship within coastal Mississippi. The MSCCP was formed with the mission of preventing and removing litter from the coastal environment through education, outreach, research, and cleanup events.
MSCCP hosts and facilitates cleanups throughout the year, bringing together volunteers of all ages and backgrounds to help keep Mississippi beaches clean and beautiful. Our volunteers make a huge difference in our understanding of the types and quantities of litter found locally, but reducing litter and marine debris starts long before a beach cleanup. While cleanups are important to collect data and possible sources of debris, the cycle will never end if we do not stop it at its source. A critical step toward this end is education.
MSCCP visits classrooms in K-12 schools as well as community organizations to teach students about the hazards associated with marine debris and ways to reduce the amount of waste we produce in our daily lives. MSCCP engages students in learning through hands-on activities, including microplastic filtration and observation, the "Fishing with Trash" game, and opportunities to participate in cleanups on or off campus. All presentation materials and activities are aligned to Mississippi College and Career Readiness Standards.
This session relates to the conference strand “Bringing EE to the Classroom” as it incorporates standards, supports teachers with activity guides, and is nature-based. It also opens pathways to partnering with school districts for long-term, sustainable programming through alignment with state standards.
Participants can expect to learn the details of each activity as well as receive activity guides, if desired. Participants will also take part in playing the "Fishing with Trash" game.
