Mote Marine and Laboratory volunteers found large pieces of doors, docks, chairs and beach equipment at recent beach cleanup.
The morning of June 14 at 8 a.m., Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium hosted their “Sea to Shore: Clean and Explore” event at Ken Thompson Park. Volunteer positions included land, paddleboard and diver clean-up crews.
Mote also showcased their homeschool programs youth led projects, ranging in studies of sunscreen, mangrove trees and the protection of sharks.
“It’s kind of like a way to get better outreach, to meet more people and kind of push us out in a more social environment.” explained Isabelle Gunderson, project Mangrove Manager.
The most common debris found throughout was cans, bottle caps, straws. Yet volunteer divers found large masses of debris such as wooden planks and building debris as well.
“Mote has a really big foothold within the Sarasota and Tampa Bay communities.” explained Kathryn Gentile, PR coordinator and part of the dive clean up.
From left to right: Nick Williams, Donna Portaro and Nicole Bocdin are keeping volunteers energized with healthy snacks.
Photo by Carlin Gillen
Homeschooled students: Jiselle Sulinski, Brice Claypoole, Presley Cochran, Coco Claypoole present and educate volunteers on the importance to stingrays and sharks.
Photo by Carlin Gillen
Quincy McGinney, Stephen Sattanino and Julia Sattanino volunteering as land clean-up crew to celebrate World Ocean Week 2025.
Photo by Carlin Gillen
Kelli Carter and Jeff Lyons are a part of the Paddle Patrol and were able to fill a whole trashcan from the ocean.
Photo by Carlin Gillen
Close up on Kelli Carter and Jeff Lyons' paddle boards that were used to pick up debris and trash from the water.
Photo by Carlin Gillen
Homeschool students Isabelle Gunderson and Mackenzie Hall present their "Manager Mangrove" project as a part of Mote's Homeschool Program.
Photo by Carlin Gillen
Homeschool students Ariel Rischer and Jasper Ernest share their "Terrapins Together" project.
Photo by Carlin Gillen
Custom pencil holders from "Manager Mangrove" booth to spread awareness about importance and protection of mangroves.
Photo by Carlin Gillen
Custom pins from the "Terrapins Together" booth saying "save the terrapins, they're terra-fic".
Photo by Carlin Gillen
Sophie Powers and Eise Kranet present their "Say Algae Ain't So" project to promote the use of reef-safe suncreen.
Photo by Carlin Gillen
Nicolas Hunter shares how boating accidents might affect a Sea Turtles shell as a part of Mote's Homeschool Program projects.
Photo by Carlin Gillen
Homeschool students Ben Hietbrink and Jackson Partain break the stigma of sharks, with their "The Shark Defenders" project.
Photo by Carlin Gillen
Hunter Jensen, program coordinator for Keep Sarasota County Beautiful, and Sophia Johnson, events manager for Mote Marine Lab and Aquarium pose to celebrate World Ocean Week.
Photo by Carlin Gillen
Volunteers gather around the student presentation booths and learn more about ocean conservation.
Photo by Carlin Gillen
Grabber tool used to pick up the debris and trash.
Photo by Carlin Gillen
Volunteers working together for Motes Sea to Shore: Clean and Explore.
Photo by Carlin Gillen
The debris and trash that was collected by the efforts of numerous of volunteers.
Photo by Carlin Gillen
The debris brought back in from the diver volunteer team, partnered with Florida Underwater Sports Divers.
Photo by Carlin Gillen
More trash being brought back in from the volunteer diving team.
Photo by Carlin Gillen
Victoria Santiago and Heather Arnone lend a helping hand to the divers bringing in debris.
Photo by Carlin Gillen
Mote Marine's PR coordinator, Kathryn Gentile, poses with her scuba gear and trash she collected from her dive.
Photo by Carlin Gillen
The trash collected by the volunteer diving team.
Photo by Carlin Gillen
A closer look to the deteriorating trash found by the volunteer diving team.
Photo by Carlin Gillen
Sarasota Police force patrolling the waters to make sure the diving team is safe from the heavy currents.
Photo by Carlin Gillen
The volunteer diving team in action getting the last pieces of debris and trash out for the day.
Carlin Gillen is an intern reporter for the Observer. Originally from Lakewood Ranch, she studies journalism and English at the University of Mississippi. She loves photography, writing and finding a story to tell within everyone.
