Budding young marine biologist makes waves in Cape Town
RANDPARK RIDGE – The course selects 50 learners who are excellent communicators and who show leadership potential as it requires extensive face-to-face interaction with the general public.
A budding young marine biologist at Rand Park High School hopes to make waves in the field in the future.
Grade 11 learner Courtney-Simone van Zyl graduated from the Two Oceans Aquarium’s Young Biologist Course in Cape Town with a 95 per cent course aggregate, which equates to Diamond status. The course was held in December last year as a seven-day event that incorporates four days at the aquarium covering theory and practical training required for volunteering, followed by three days at an educational campsite on Llandudno Beach where additional hands-on experience is gained and team building takes place. Courtney-Simone commented, “I absolutely adored this course. The touch pool work, rocky shore exploration and microscope exhibits were fascinating and it was very exciting to work with other teenagers who shared my enthusiasm for the environment and the ocean.”
Selection to attend is based on applications being submitted each year. Courtney-Simone’s application to attend was supported by school principal at Rand Park High School Alan Wilke, as well as her life sciences educator and grade tutor. The course selects 50 learners who are excellent communicators and who show leadership potential as it requires extensive face-to-face interaction with the general public in order to complete the course which trains volunteers on how to raise awareness and ultimately find ways to change human behaviour and their impact on the environment through sharing information and knowledge. She continued, “The ocean is integral to our life on earth and it contains many species and ecosystems that are fascinating. Too often we look into seaside rock pools and identify the large creatures instead of searching for the smaller, more interesting, organisms.”I gained so much knowledge and skills that are uncommon to people of my age. I had to present to large groups of people of all ages and from other countries. I even got to touch a puffadder shyshark and to search for their eggs which are deposited in seaweed.”
Courtney-Simone said that she aims to study marine biology once she has matriculated, and this experience has helped to confirm that pursuing a career in this field is the right thing to do.
Her graduation ceremony took place via Zoom on 4 July due to the lockdown.
