ROCKLAND — “We want to help the ocean,” said six-year-old Griffin in between head-boinking and wrestle-hugs with his two classmates during the reception for their art exhibit at the Maine Coastal Islands National Wildlife Refuge Visitors Center in Rockland, Friday, Nov. 4.

“If all this trash is here, we won’t have fish to fish with. Instead, we won’t have that kind of meat. And then we won’t have sushi,” he said.

The two first graders and one third grader recently pulled trash from four area beaches in order to create the exhibit. Those beaches included the Breakwater and Sandy beaches in Rockland, Crescent Beach, and the Drift In.

Third-grader Logan added: “animals eat the plastic. Then we eat [the animal] and then it goes all the way to us.”

The boys are a part of an alternative education program for elementary-age children at the Midcoast Steam Microschool in the Lincoln Street Center in Rockland. The program promotes early hands-on immersion of science, technology, engineering, art, and math.

During the reception, the boys were able to state facts regarding the ocean and its trash problem, along with facts about the Leatherback Turtle, nominated as their animal focus in regards to the trash issue.

“Turtles mistake plastic bags for jelly fish and eat them,” said Griffin.

Yet, as young, happy boys, their ability to stand still and quiet was fleeting at best.

“You’re supposed to stand around like bored people,” their teacher Pam Breyer told them. “Stare at the wall for a second.” 

And, as the teacher, Breyer admits, “It turns out, little boys aren’t as enamored with gluing things on, but I did get some help.”

For more information on full day and afterschool programs at the Midcoast Steam Microschool: visit www.MEmicroschool.org, email: director@MEmircroschool.org, or find them on Facebook.

Reach Sarah Thompson at news@penbaypilot.com