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Teen Intermediate DolphinLab
Course Information
Teen Intermediate DolphinLab builds on the knowledge and experience gained in Teen Basic DolphinLab, while still incorporating plenty of fun along with quality educational information. This program not only features the advanced study of dolphins, but also explores other marine mammals, including sea lions, manatees, river dolphins, and more. The format is similar to Teen Basic DolphinLab, but this course offers more time for students to work together on a group project, which includes acquiring and/or improving public speaking skills, and to pursue their personal interests. Teen Intermediate DolphinLab also provides the students with the opportunity to explore careers in the marine mammal field through interaction with Dolphin Research Center staff.
The course includes a unique blend of hour-long informative, discussion-based seminars, different from the Teen Basic course, plus observation time of DRC's dolphins and sea lions, and hands-on activities. Class sizes average eight to ten students to ensure individualized instruction.
The program runs Sunday through Friday. Photo ID is required at pick up on Friday in order for us to sign out your teen. Additional information and required waivers and forms are provided in the Welcome Packet emailed to each teen and parent once the applicant is enrolled and we confirm the course to run.
If you would like to come to Dolphin Research Center while your teen is attending DolphinLab, you must pay daily general admission or purchase a DRC membership. We respectfully request that you do not interfere with the programs in which the teens participate. Sometimes just seeing a parent can disrupt the momentum of an activity.
Seminars May Include:
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Public Speaking and Animal Interpretation
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Baleen Whales & Whaling
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Manatees
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Marine Mammals in the Military
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Marine Mammals in the Media
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Pinnipeds
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River Dolphins
Interactive Programs Include:
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One Play with the Dolphin session
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Two Dolphin Encounter sessions
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One signal session
Additional Hands-On Activities Include:
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Educational Field trip
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Observation time
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Career shadowing
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Informal interviews with training staff
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Public surveys
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A group project to gain and/or improve public speaking skills
Accommodations During the Week of DolphinLab:
Lodging is available onsite at the DRC Residence for up to five (5) teens. The teens are supervised by our DolphinLab Chaperone when at the Residence, and all meals are provided each day of the program. The DRC Residence is available on a first-come, first-served basis for the first five (5) teens who enroll and indicate on their application that they want to stay at the Residence.
DolphinLab participants who do not stay in the residence and their parents must secure their own accommodations at one of the many local hotels or resorts in Marathon. For teens who are not staying in the DRC Residence, lunch and snacks are provided each day of the program, but all other meals are the responsibility of the teen and parent.
Dolphin Research Center partners with local hotels in an effort to offer participants discounted rates on accommodations. Partner hotels are not available in advance as the hotels that choose to participate vary from year to year. A list of participating hotels, details, rates, and booking instructions are provided in the Welcome Packet emailed to each participant once a Lab is confirmed to run. Dolphin Research Center does not handle bookings or payments for any of the participating establishments.
Tuition:
Tuition for Teen Intermediate DolphinLab is $1,600.00 (US) without lodging and meals, or $2,050.00 (US) including lodging and all meals during the program. Tuition also includes all seminars, activities, interactive programs, a field trip, and digital photographs of the teen’s dolphin interactions throughout the week.
Tuition does not include transportation to and from any airport, or to and from DRC each day if the teen is not staying in the DRC Residence. It is the parent and teen’s responsibility to secure transportation.
Prerequisites:
Students must successfully complete Teen Basic DolphinLab before participating in Teen Intermediate. During the summer, these labs are offered consecutively. The teen may enroll in both Labs within the same summer; however, Dolphin Research Center reserves the right to determine whether the student continues on to Teen Intermediate DolphinLab based on his/her performance in Teen Basic DolphinLab.
Related Links
Enrollment
The 2023 Teen DolphinLab season is complete! Please check the Course Dates web page in November or December for the 2024 course dates. Enrollment opens sometime within the month of January 2024, and is announced on the Course Dates page. See you next year!
Questions? Please email education@dolphins.org so the Education team can help!
