US Bancorp Foundation Financially Supports Oregon Coast Aquarium's Education Program

The Oregon Coast Aquarium received a grant from US Bancorp last week, assisting the Aquarium with one of its primary objectives; to foster an informed stewardship of the coastal environment. A two thousand dollar grant received from US Bancorp will help fund onsite and outreach programs during the 2008-2009 school year.

Sherrie Payne-Marvin,US Bank Newport Branch Manager, presented the donation to Dale Schmidt, Aquarium President. “The Oregon Coast Aquarium continues to show an enormous amount of support to many causes in our community and US Bank is happy to support the Aquarium any way that we can,” said Payne-Marvin.

Aquarium programs are reaching more students according to Schmidt. “We are increasing the number of students we can reach and this donation will enable us to continue to bring quality programs to students through outreach programs as well as onsite.” Schmidt said all Aquarium exhibits and programs focus on coastal habitats, from the forests of the Coast Range, through rivers and estuaries, to the shoreline and the open sea. “It is a complex story that we tell—what makes the coastal ecosystem special, how the habitats work together and what can affect them,” said Schmidt.

Last year 28,777 students from 103 schools in Oregon benefited from the Aquarium's outreach programs. Ten million visitors have taken in educational exhibits and programs since the Aquarium opened in May of 1992. Those visitors came from Newport, from all over Oregon and the nation and from Japan, Germany and many other countries. Through programs and exhibits, the Aquarium creates high-quality, innovative, enjoyable educational opportunities, using diverse approaches.

All of the Aquarium’s educational programs and materials have been designed to address Oregon's Common Curriculum Goals and specific Benchmark Standards, offering over 30 different theater and laboratory programs, self-guided tours with pre and post visit materials, Home School Week and statewide outreach.

The Oregon Coast Aquarium is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit educational attraction dedicated to the highest quality aquatic and marine science programs for recreation and education so the public better understands, cherishes, and conserves the world’s natural marine and coastal resources.
 

Photo: Sherrie Payne-Marvin, US Bank Newport Branch Manager, gets a “thank you kiss” from Quill, an Aquarium sea lion. Payne-Marvin presented the Oregon Coast Aquarium with a donation of two thousand dollars for Aquarium education programs.