Megan O’Leary (TAS 2007) and Stacey Klimkosky (TAS 2009) from Truro Central School in Truro, Massachusetts, volunteered on June 7 and 8, 2015 at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History’s World Oceans Day Celebration. World Oceans Day is held every June 8 and is the United Nations recognized day of ocean celebration and action. 
 
Heather Haas and Grace Simpkins from NOAA’s Northeast Fisheries Science Center’s Protected Species Branch joined Megan and Stacey at the Smithsonian Q?rius Education Center to provide hands-on protected marine species activities. Visitors had the opportunity to touch sperm whale teeth, baleen from various whale species, sea turtle shells and other specimens. They also learned about the NOAA Teacher at Sea Program and how alumni continue to collaborate with NOAA scientists. 
 
“Several visitors seemed really intrigued by the bones and baleen and enjoyed touching them as well as discovering how they work. We had some children eagerly lay on the floor as they measured the length of a North Atlantic Right Whale using children as their unit of measurement. People also seemed amazed at the marine mammal vocalizations, they heard at our sound exhibit, and were interested to hear how we use passive acoustics to learn more about marine mammals.” – Grace Simpkins and Heather Haas