STARability Trailblazers Make New Discoveries at Rookery Bay

Rookery Bay Environmental Learning Center recently welcomed a group from STARability Foundation’s Trailblazer Academy, a program for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The group enjoyed a personalized tour with volunteer CJ Deal, a retired educator and a current bowling coach with Southwest Florida’s Special Olympics. Ironically, some of the STARability visitors that day also participate in Special Olympics bowling and already know Coach CJ!  

The group spent time at the Estuary Encounter touch tank, where they had the chance to see and touch some of the marine critters that call the estuary home including sea stars, urchins and a horse conch. They especially enjoyed learning about the Sea Turtles that are currently nesting on the beaches of the Reserve. One participant even tried on a Sea Turtle shell to get a real feel for what it’s like to be a sea turtle. Other trailblazers gravitated to the Reserve’s shark research and had a chance to look through the jaws of a Bull shark.   

Rookery Bay’s partnership with STARability extends beyond field trips. In past years, the Rookery Bay nature store sold one-of-a-kind candles made by STARability participants at their STAR Studio in Naples’ Design District.