The maritime class at La Salvetat-Saint-Gilles college connects Toulouse to the Ocean. Twenty-five students carried out scientific measurements at La Palme and Leucate this Friday, supported by researchers and the Oceanographic Institute of Monaco.
Haute-Garonne does not only have its eyes glued to the sky, contrary to what one might believe. The existence of a “maritime issues class” at the Salvetat-Saint-Gilles college in the Toulouse region is proof of this. And the presence of 25 middle school students for a scientific mission this Friday in La Palme and Leucate is proof of this.
For 4 years, the teaching team has been raising awareness among students and families about the great cause of the Ocean. The Ocean project class, the only one at the Toulouse academy, has “maritimised” the disciplinary programs and gives students the opportunity to act on the major environmental issue of protecting the Ocean through different actions carried out during the course. the year. Project teaching places students in a situation of reflection, creation and production in order to train them in environmental responsibility so that they can become protectors of the Ocean.
Supervised by top scientists
Earth, sky and sea are three closely linked elements. “Toulouse is home to the headquarters of Météo France, in charge of marine forecasts in particular. Satellites contribute greatly to the observation of oceans and coastlines and bear witness to their developments. Without forgetting the important scientific community in Toulouse which carries out research with major implications”underlines Delphine Desmartin, teacher at the college.
The educational team, very multidisciplinary, with science teachers such as French or Latin and PE, was not alone this Friday in accompanying the students in the discovery of the enigmatic land and sea exchanges. Pieter Van Beek, teacher at the University of Toulouse Rangueil, and Marc Souhaut, researcher at CNRS, both members of Legos (Laboratory for Studies in Spatial Geophysics and Oceanography) were also there.
Today’s scientific mission was devoted to land-sea exchanges. The resurgence of (almost) fresh water which supplies the La Palme “washhouse” and then joins the salt pond was a prime setting for the young, very mobilized operators. Measurements of salinity, acidity and flow were carefully recorded in a booklet. The same goes for observations of the fauna and flora in the pond, then in the afternoon around the Grau de La Franqui in Leucate. A craze that delights Pieter Van Beek who sees there a pool of future student researchers.
The Oceanographic Institute of Monaco essential partner
Delphine Desmartin, for her part, is delighted to note that today’s adolescents are “aware of disruption and sensitive to climate and environmental issues”. The work produced by the students is a demonstration of their commitment.
And the need to continue and deepen the approach. To do this, the maritime issues class benefits from valuable support, including that of the Oceanographic Institute of Monaco, via Oeano Pour Tous, a competition sponsored by Estelle Lefébure and which aims to facilitate access to the Ocean for young people who, for many reasons, have little knowledge the Ocean and too often do not have access to it. Without this, without the participation of families, without the use of the Culture Pass which made it possible to visit Narbo Via and the Canet aquarium, such an educational stay could not take place. And in the future, other partners will be welcome.
