Students visited an oyster farm owned by their math teacher to learn the history of King Slough and environmental issues of concern at this field site. 

Afterwards, they visited the Hatfield Visitor's Center to how different marine topics and issues are represented in an educational setting. 

Students learned about how otters act as keystone species within an ecosystem and the story behind their local extinction in Oregon. They learned about the sea otter restoration movement and work of the Elakha Alliance organization, founded by a Siletz tribal member. 

Siletz students and OSU mentors learned from a teacher leader about the importance of dentalia shells in Native culture and the disappearance of this cultural resource. They used shells, beads, and sinew to create their own necklaces. 

This was a great opportunity for students to act as leaders, showing their new mentors how to bead!