🌊 Marine Biology at Clam Pass: Learning in Action

At The Village School of Naples, the best classrooms aren’t always inside four walls. For our Upper School Marine Biology students, science often starts with the sea.

Just ten minutes from campus, students travel weekly to Clam Pass Park — a 35-acre coastal preserve where mangrove forests, boardwalks, and the Gulf of Mexico meet. These outdoor lessons transform Southwest Florida’s unique ecosystem into a living laboratory for discovery.

One week, students explored red, black, and white mangrove trees, learning how these vital coastal forests protect shorelines, filter water, and provide nurseries for marine species. The next, they performed water testing for salinity, collecting and analyzing data to better understand the balance of salt and freshwater in the estuary.

Because of our proximity to Clam Pass, this class is able to conduct real-world environmental studies nearly every week, deepening their understanding of marine ecosystems, water quality, and sustainability. These experiences connect classroom lessons to hands-on scientific inquiry and local conservation.

In a region where sustainability sciences are essential, The Village School goes beyond the textbook — combining a rigorous college-preparatory curriculum with learning in action. Through fieldwork, project-based learning, and partnerships with environmental experts, students gain both the knowledge and the stewardship mindset needed to protect and preserve Florida’s natural ecosystems.

At The Village School of Naples, science isn’t just learned — it’s experienced. 🌿🌎

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