Alpena, MichiganLocal Weather Alerts
There are currently no active weather alerts.

Students take classroom underwater in ‘Science in the Sanctuary’ class

(Photo Courtesy/Barrett Jones) Students listen to instruction about diving underwater at the Plaza Pool at Alpena High School.

Alpena, Mich. — Alpena High School freshmen took their classroom underwater on Friday.

The class “Science in the Sanctuary” spent a day at the pool where students had the chance to learn to scuba dive, control underwater ROVs (remotely operated vehicles), write underwater, and locate underwater artifacts.

John Caplis is the instructor for this brand new class. He also teaches ‘Shipwreck Alley’ which involves similar exploration at the Plaza Pool. Freshmen have been looking forward to this day all semester.

“All of the classes that I’ve heard about are like, you just sit there, and you do notes, but this class, it’s really cool because it’s all hands on,” said Freshman Gloria Kroll. “If anybody gets the chance to take it, they should take it.”

Members of the Northeast Michigan Great Lakes Stewardship Intiative, Huron Pines AmeriCorp, Great Lakes Divers, and Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary helped the kids experience some of the tools used to explore below the depths. These tools are heavily utilized within the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary where scientists and archaeologists conduct experiments and explore what lies beneath.