On Saturday, May 25, 2013, students from Chiefland High School and Bronson High School visited the lab under the GEAR UP program. GEAR UP, which stands for Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs, is a grant that was developed to prepare low-income students in grades seven through twelve for postsecondary education. It sets rigorous academic standards to ensure higher rates of college attendance in these underprivileged students. Read more about GEAR UP here. While here at the lab they received an in-depth lecture on marine habitats and seagrass organisms from Dr. Bill Herrnkind. They then proceeded to the greenhouse for a SATS-instructed touch tank experience in which they got to interact with various marine species. After that the group set out on our pontoon boats to run trawls and discuss the organisms that they found. One student shared his amazement with the diversity that could come from two different ecosystems so close to each other.