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In May, the ̽����ѡ in Silver Spring’s youth team coordinated a field trip to the National Aquarium in Baltimore, bringing together youth, volunteer mentors and ̽����ѡ staff for a day of learning and underwater discovery. 

The aquarium visit was part of the youth team’s ongoing efforts to foster enrichment and joy outside the classroom. Youth were divided into small groups with fun aquatic-themed names like the Penguins or Jellyfish, each led by a chaperone equipped with an “Under the Sea Selfie Hunt” — a checklist designed to guide their exploration to the various exhibits. 

The day unfolded across the aquarium’s captivating exhibits, from the glowing tanks of the Jellies Invasion to the underwater viewing area of Dolphin Discovery. At the Living Seashore touch tank the group even got up close with horseshoe crabs, moon jellies, sea snails and stingrays. 

Gearing up to touch one of the moon jellies, one student, Dina*, laughed as she shared a story about kissing a jellyfish as a child and getting stung. Similarly at the touch tank, a long-time ̽����ѡ client, Mina* reflected on how meaningful it was to explore the aquarium with her mentor. 

“This is one of the most fun trips I’ve been on while working with the ̽����ѡ,” Mina said.

The trip-goers stopped at every exhibit to take pictures, making connections between what they saw and what they knew from their country of origin. At the Living Seashore touch tank, some compared the horseshoe crabs to turtles they used to spot near their homes. Some even took the opportunity to teach their chaperones a few animal names in their native languages.

̽����ѡ chaperone Meklit, a college student who mentored one of the youth in her group, shared: "It’s been amazing to watch my mentee become more confident, especially on this trip—interacting with new friends and exploring without hesitation." Meklit sees the visible impact of her involvement and is eager to continue contributing through future ̽����ѡ opportunities. 

A group of youth clients overlooking the Blacktip Reef exhibit.
Photo Credit: Zahra Bajwa, ̽����ѡ Staff

As the buses headed back to Silver Spring at the end of the day, the energy was high. Students swapped stories, shared pictures and sang songs all the way home. It was clear that the impact of the trip would last well beyond the day itself as each of them said their goodbyes. 

The ̽����ѡ in Silver Spring remains committed to creating moments like these, where learning, community and joy come together to support the growth and confidence of the next generation. 

*Dina and Mina’s names have been changed to protect their identity.