These student spotlights on the back cover of Ohio Sea Grant’s Twine Line magazine usually introduced notable Stone Lab alumni and their post-college careers.

The first comment Erin Sams Cooper usually has to address when she talks about her employer, the education non-profit Teens4Oceans, is “but… you’re based in Colorado.” And while the Rocky Mountains around Boulder were covered by an ocean a few million years ago, it’s not the first place most people would think of when asked where to start an ocean education program.

If you live in the Great Lakes and pay attention to the news on a semi-regular basis, you’ve probably seen, heard or read about Dr. Jeff Reutter, Director of Ohio Sea Grant and Stone Laboratory at The Ohio State University. After 42 years at Ohio Sea Grant and Stone Lab, as a researcher, educator and administrator, Reutter stepped down from his position on March 31, 2015.

Between science fair projects and a summer class at Stone Lab, Erin Rogers is already well on her way to a career in the sciences. This summer, the Tippecanoe High School junior from Tipp City, Ohio spent a week at Stone Lab, studying local plants and exploring the Lake Erie shoreline.

Educator classes at Stone Lab don’t just give teachers new ideas for the classroom. For some, that first Stone Lab experience encourages them to expand their lessons beyond the traditional school setting, and may take them farther away from it than they ever expected.

Scott Hoff, a high school teacher at Bluffton Schools in northwestern Ohio, was introduced to Stone Lab 22 years ago, as a first-year teacher.

Stone Lab classes give students the opportunity to experience field science first-hand, to catch up on college credits or get a head start on major requirements, and to simply have a great time learning with other students. Of course, for some students, a Stone Lab summer can be all of those things and more.

Professional development for teachers can come in many forms, from online lectures to week-long field experiences and everything in between. One of the most competitive options out there is the Teacher at Sea Program, run by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). More than 200 teachers apply to the program each year, but less than 30 are usually selected to join NOAA researchers in the field.

This year, Stone Lab Education and Outreach Associate Angela Greene was one of those teachers. Greene, who teaches science at Tecumseh Middle School in New Carlisle, Ohio, sailed on the NOAA ship Gordon Gunter, and participated in a survey of northern right whale populations in the North Atlantic.

As a kid, Jack Gaskins spent many a summer at his family’s house on Middle Bass Island, enjoying the Lake Erie shore and venturing across to the other islands with his parents. Of course, South Bass was a frequent stop for meals, tours, and other adventures, so Stone Lab was a familiar sight at Put-in-Bay.

Stone Lab students come from all walks of life, and while many of them spend their first summer on Gibraltar Island during high school or college, some don’t make it to the island until they’re adults. Even then, living and learning so close to Lake Erie can make a deep impression, and students often become vocal supporters of Ohio Sea Grant’s teaching and research programs at the Lab.

Lydia Bailey went one step further: after spending a few weeks at Stone Lab for undergraduate classes, she recognized the value of the program and wanted to make a lasting contribution.