The fascinating organisms and habitats of Alabama’s coastal and 
marine waters are now only a click away for Alabama high school 
students thanks to the Alabama State Department of Education’s 
ACCESS program. This distance learning program, integrated into 
every public high school in Alabama, will be featured in the ACCESS 
Distance Learning Week, February 1-5, 2010, and the Dauphin Island 
Sea Lab’s Education and Outreach department, Discovery Hall 
Programs, is honored to take part in this innovative program for 
high school students. 

During the entire week, numerous organizations will be conducting 
exciting programs and lessons for high school students, members of 
the Alabama Legislature, and other interested organizations 
throughout the state.  On Wednesday, February 3, starting at 1pm, 
educators from the Dauphin Island Sea Lab’s Education and Outreach 
team will conduct an Introduction to Animals in Alabama’s Coastal 
Waters.   

Using both live and preserved specimens, the Sea Lab educators will 
show students examples of many groups of invertebrate and vertebrate 
animals commonly found in Alabama’s waters.  The taxonomy, habitats, 
and natural history of these animals will be discussed.  A document 
camera system will allow close up views of many of the animals being 
discussed.  The presentation will end with an “up close and 
personal” look at an animal through a dissection of a bonnethead shark! 

Scheduled link-ups with the Sea Lab’s program are: 
•     Carbon Hill High School – Carbon Hill, AL (Walker County) 
•     Carroll High School – Ozark, AL (Dale County) 
•     Boaz High School, Boaz, AL (Marshall County) 
•     Daleville High School, Daleville, AL (Dale County) 
•     Hayden High School – Hayden, AL (Blount County) 
•     St. Clair County High School – Odenville, AL (St. Clair County) 
•     Tarrant High School – Tarrant, AL (Jefferson County) 
•     Valley Head High School – Valley Head, AL (Chambers County) 

As a special feature during this event, a “live audience” of juniors 
and seniors from Murphy High School’s Marine Biology II class, and 
their teacher Ms. Sharon Delchamps will be at the Sea Lab during the 
program. 

“As the marine science research and education facility for the state 
of Alabama, we are very excited to be taking part in this event,” 
said Dr. Tina Miller-Way, Sea Lab Associate Director for Education 
and Outreach.  “Humans and the oceans are inextricably connected. 
The ACCESS program will allow us to bring the excitement and 
importance of marine science to each and every high school student 
in Alabama.  With the support of the Legislature, the Governor and 
the State Department of Education, Alabama can be a leader in ocean 
and environmental literacy.” 

Launched in 2004, the ACCESS program seeks to provide greater equity 
for all Alabama public high school students through access to 
distance learning technology.  Alabama is poised to be a leader in 
distance learning by tailoring online and videoconferencing services 
to the needs of the individual student.  By leveraging existing 
resources and expanding access, this program will deliver a broad 
range of courses to students statewide, including Alabama’s 
hardest-to-serve areas. 

For more information on the ACCESS program and ACCESS week, visit 
http://accessdl.state.al.us/ ; e-mail Rhonda Oates at 
roates@alsde.edu or Meg Lowry at mlowry@alsde.edu; or call 
334.242.9594. 

Note to reporters/assignment desk editors: if you would like to send 
a reporter to the Sea Lab to witness the program live, please 
contact Lori Angelo at 251-861-2312 or Dr. Tina Miller-Way at 
251-861-2257 to ensure your space in the Wiese learning distance 
conference room. 

Lisa Young 
Public Relations Consultant 
E-mail: lyoung@disl.org