Norwalk's Maritime Aquarium received the award for
Excellence in Education from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums on Wednesday
morning.
It's the fourth time the
aquarium has won that honor in the
last five years.
The aquarium currently has two classrooms equipped with
cameras and broadcasting equipment for web-based programming. It allows for
students and families to take online field trips to the aquarium.
Education Director Tom Naiman says the distance learning
program began as a way to cope with the pandemic, but it's given the aquarium
more reach than ever.
"Six months later, we've served about 20,000 people in
total between the school groups and the programs for the public in 42 states
around the country, five Canadian provinces and five foreign countries,"
he says.
School lessons start at $95 per classroom. The Maritime's
family activities are free of charge online.