Another education season is officially in the books here on Pigeon Key. Throughout 2026, our five-acre island welcomed hundreds of students and campers for a year full of marine science & fun. This season, we hosted 20 school groups and 7 weeks of summer camp, giving students from near and far the chance to turn the Florida Keys into their classroom.
No two days of education on Pigeon Key look exactly the same. Students traded desks for snorkel masks, fishing rods, and tidepools. Our programs gave them the opportunity to learn about the unique ecosystems of the Florida Keys while experiencing them firsthand! Students learned to fish from the dock, explored the waters surrounding Pigeon Key, spotted wildlife beneath the Old Seven Mile Bridge, and headed offshore to experience the Florida Keys reef system. Whether someone caught their first fish, held an invertebrate they had only ever seen in a textbook, or put on a mask and snorkel for the first time, there were plenty of moments this season that reminded us why hands-on education is such an important part of what we do.
Once summer arrived, the island shifted into camp mode! For 7 weeks, Pigeon Key became home base for days filled with snorkeling, free swims, fishing, and plenty of friendly competition. Day campers spent their days tidepooling, fishing, and competing in fun jumping competitons off the dock. Overnight campers kept the fun going with bonfires, talent shows, and nights under the stars!
Of course, none of our education programs or summer camps would be possible without the educators behind them. Our 2026 interns spent the season teaching, leading activities, exploring the Keys, and creating plenty of memories of their own.
Justin’s favorite memory from the season was witnessing a hammerhead shark eat a tarpon right beneath the Old Seven Mile Bridge, a wildlife encounter that is pretty hard to top! Some of his other highlights included reef trips, walks along the bridge, sunsets on the dock, and the overnight camp talent show. Justin will be continuing his work in education as a Program Instructor with the North Cascades Institute in Diablo, Washington.
Kira found her favorite parts of the season during summer camp, where she especially enjoyed getting to let loose, have fun with the campers, and take part in activities like snorkeling, tidepooling, and free swim. Following her time on Pigeon Key, she is heading to the University of New Hampshire to begin her master’s degree in Oceanography!
Rebecca’s favorite part of the internship was helping students understand the bigger picture of marine conservation. Through experiences like tidepooling and shark/squid dissections, she was able to give students unique learning opportunities that she hopes they will remember for years to come. A longtime Survivor fan, Rebecca also brought that passion to camp by creating “Survivor: Pigeon Key”, where campers competed in games and social challenges throughout the week. Outside of teaching, she loved immersing herself in life in the Florida Keys, especially dock nights with her fellow interns. Rebecca will be moving to South Carolina to work as a Field Studies Instructor with an institute that shares a similar mission of hands-on environmental education.
Jenny’s favorite part of her internship was having the ocean as her classroom and getting to teach kids about marine biology through hands-on experiences. She especially loved weekly reef trips, where she never knew what might show up, from spotted eagle rays and sharks, to sea turtles and more! Throughout the season, Jenny learned a lot about teaching strategies and curriculum design, especially how hands-on programs can help students with different learning styles connect with marine science. Following her time at Pigeon Key, Jenny is exploring opportunities to continue conducting research and educating through nonprofit organizations.
As another season comes to an end, we are incredibly grateful for every student, camper, teacher, parent, intern, staff member, and supporter who helped make 2026 such a memorable year. Each group brings something different to the island, but the goal remains the same: to give students meaningful experiences and help them better understand and appreciate the marine environment around them!
Thank you for an incredible 2026 education season! We’re already looking forward to welcoming a new intern class and another season of students to Pigeon Key in 2027.
