Oso Bay Wetlands Preserve to offer OSO Guardians Summer Youth Program

Register Today!

CORPUS CHRISTI, TX – Looking for the blockbuster event of the summer? Join the superheroes looking after our little corner of the galaxy. The Oso Bay Wetlands Preserve and Learning Center is hosting the first O.S.O. Guardians summer youth program. Children ages 5-14 will Observe Science Outdoors throughout the 8-week program. These hands-on week-long programs will introduce participants to local species, environmental issues, and provide a safe and supervised opportunity to explore native habitats.

This program runs June 13-August 8 from 9 am-noon, Monday-Friday, with aftercare available at nearby Oso Recreation Center. Each week will also include an off-site field trip with partner organizations.

ONLINE REGISTRATION will be available now until June 1, 2016 at www.ccparkandrec.com (click ‘Register Online’). The cost for each camp is $125 per camp per youth.

For more information, call the Parks & Recreation Department at 826-PLAY (7520), email Sara Jose at SaraJ@cctexas.com, or visit www.osopreserve.com.

Oso Guardians Weekly Schedule:

These programs are for children ages 5-6 and 7-8: 

June 13-17: I Spy Wildlife!

This week of outdoor fun will focus on the variety of organisms that live in our local wetlands. Children will get a chance to touch, smell, see and hear (no tasting!) plants, insects, mammals, fish, and other animals that are found within the Oso Bay Wetlands Preserve. This week also includes a field trip to Mustang Island State Park.

June 20-14: Wetland Explorer

Join us as we create Wetland Explorers! Learn about the water, soil, air and other components of a wetland. Children will get a chance to use hands-on science equipment as they investigate their surroundings. This week also includes a field trip to the NOAA Weather Station.  

June 27-July 1: One Fish, Two Fish

Smell something fishy? This week we will explore the fish of Oso Creek and Oso Bay. Not only will students learn fish identification and practice fishing techniques, we will also cover fishing regulations and aquarium husbandry. This week includes a field trip to the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department/Coastal Conservation Association (TPWD/CCA) Fish Hatchery to learn about fish populations.

July 11-15: Green Week

Going green means more than recycling. This week’s activities will teach children the different ways that we can conserve natural resources from protecting our water to using wind power to reusing products. This week will include a field trip to Republic Services to see what happens to all of our trash. 

These programs are for youth ages 9-11 and 12-14: 

July 18-22: Where’s Wildlife?

Ever wonder why we hear wildlife stories, but don’t see it? Between the nocturnal habits of many animals to a limited number of wildlife left in urban areas, it can be hard to see our native animals. This week will focus on discovering what kinds of animals (and just how many of them) live within the Oso Bay Wetlands Preserve. Students will use scientific techniques and equipment to explore both terrestrial (land) and aquatic (water) environments. This week will also include a trip to the TPWD/CCA Fish Hatchery to learn about wildlife introductions.

July 25-29: Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff

Remember the movie “Honey I Shrunk the Kids?” This week we will explore life at the micro-level including spiders, insects, flower parts, and plankton. Students will get a detailed look across organisms to explore how these creatures interact with a world much smaller than our own. This week will include a trip to a local park for a chance to look at freshwater invertebrates living in the water and mud.

August 1-5: I Spy Wildlife!

This week of outdoor fun will focus on the variety of organisms that live in our local wetlands. Children will get a chance to touch, smell, see and hear (no tasting!) plants, insects, mammals, fish, and other animals that are found within the Oso Bay Wetlands Preserve. This week also includes a field trip to Mustang Island State Park.

August 8-12: Water, Water Everywhere

Corpus Christi may be known as the Sparkling City by the Sea, but it is really freshwater that makes our city run. This week we will explore all the ways that plants and animals interact with our freshwater resources. This week includes a field trip to the local Water Treatment Plant to see how our water use is connected to the environment.

For more information contact Parks and Recreation Education Coordinator Sara Jose at (361) 826-3432 or saraj@cctexas.com.