Meet the 4-H/CCAR Interns

September 11, 2019 CCAR News
4-H Youth Development Professional, Carla Scocchi (left) with interns Ryan, Mei Mei, Blake, Jenee, Heron, Max, Hannah, and CCAR’s Melissa Malmstedt (right)

This summer CCAR, along with Hancock County 4-H, had the pleasure of hosting seven high schoolers from four area schools as interns. The goal of the internship was for the students to learn about aquaculture and develop an innovative way to demonstrate sustainable aquaculture to the public through a 4-H exhibit at the Blue Hill Fair. The students spent eight weeks at CCAR learning about recirculating aquaculture systems, fish husbandry, engineering, and business. During their internship they visited two of Maine’s aquaculture businesses, Sea and Reef Aquaculture and the Little Island Oyster Co. and learned about conservation aquaculture through a behind-the-scenes tour of Craig Brook National Fish Hatchery. To better facilitate their project the interns formed committees that focused on five areas of public engagement, these included communications, food, t-shirts, kids, and fish 101. In the end they developed creative, interactive ways of communicating what sustainable aquaculture is to the general public.

We’re sad the internship had to end, but we wish our interns luck as they embark upon the new school year!

 

CCAR 4-H intern Heron shucking oyster
Heron shows off his oyster shucking skills at the Little Island Oyster Co.
Heron shows his fish at the Blue Hill Fair

Heron is a sophomore at the Maine Ocean School. He loves all things fish; catching fish, cooking fish, eating fish… if fish are involved, he’s there. As co-chair of the food committee he was key in developing the plan for grilled farmed fish samples at the fair. He is also very handy, making two wooden fish puzzles and a halibut shaped cookie cutter during his internship.

 

 

 

CCAR 4-H intern Max in waders
Max prepares to interact with the halibut
Fish maze designed by Max

Max is a sophomore at MDI High School. He loves to draw so he put his skills to use by creating a fin-tastic fish maze for the public to enjoy at the Blue Hill Fair. He’s an excellent caretaker of the yellowtail, always paying close attention to detail.

 

 

 

 

CCAR intern Mei Mei cleaning a drum filter
Mei Mei cleans a drum filter
Mei Mei and Ryan teach the public about fish anatomy at the Blue Hill Fair

Mei Mei is a senior at Mount Desert Island High School and lives on Swans Island. She is passionate about learning, lobstering, and protecting Maine’s coastlines from the invasive green crab. As co-chair of the fish 101 committee Mei Mei did a fantastic job teaching the public about fish anatomy and butchery at the fair.

 

 

 

 

CCAR Intern Hannah with a scrub brush
Hannah cleans a halibut tank
Carla Scocchi and Hannah work on signs for the aquaculture exhibit at the Blue Hill Fair

Hannah is a junior at George Stevens Academy in Blue Hill. As co-chair of the internship’s food committee she was responsible for organizing the group’s food related activities at the fair. This included long hours spent preparing cookies and a cake with Blake and Heron. The cake, designed to look like a fish and decorated with the yellowtail’s lifecycle to fit the “Seeds for Success” theme, took third place in the 4-H cake contest at the fair.

 

 

Blake tries her hand at oyster grading at the Little Island Oyster Co.
Hannah and Blake inspect an oyster grown on the Little Island Oyster Co. farm

Blake is a senior at RSU 24 Adult Education in Sullivan. She is a natural when it comes to aquaculture, with a special knack for water quality analysis. At the fair she was the group’s representative during the cake judging contest showing off her public speaking skills when describing their entry to the crowd of spectators.

 

 

 

CCAR Interns work on team building
Jenee is lifted up by her fellow interns during a team building activity at CCAR
Jenee works on the team’s exhibit

Jenee is a senior at Mount Desert Island High School. As the photo on the left suggests, throughout the internship she encouraged the group to come together and work as a team. As co-chair of the communications committee she was responsible for organizing the production of the group’s eye-catching display at the fair. She’s also a natural with kids and played a big part in overseeing the children’s activities during the fair.

 

 

 

 

Ryan and Blake learn about salmon egg incubation on a field trip to the Craig Brook National Fish Hatchery in Orland, ME
Ryan describes the fish’s caudal peduncle to an onlooker

Ryan is a sophomore at Mount Desert Island High School and was the group’s jack of all trades. As the chair of the kids committee he helped plan the wide range of children’s activities that were offered at the fair.