Students spend week exploring Delmarva Peninsula, surprised when sea turtle caught in net

BALTIMORE -- A group of students exploring the Chesapeake Bay were treated to the rare sight of a sea turtle.

But that's not the only exciting thing they saw. They also came across a pod of dolphins.

It happened during the Chesapeake Bay Foundation's Student Leadership Summer Expedition last week. It's a weeklong program that the CBF organizes yearly.

While it's meant to be a fun trip, it also aims to teach younger people the importance of the Chesapeake Bay and encourage them to help it down the road.

This year, 16 high schoolers from Maryland, Virginia and Pennsylvania explored the Delmarva Peninsula.

One of those student was Adriana Schulman, a rising senior from Poolesville High School.

"It was just something I was already interested in from my school experience," Schulman said. "I just thought it'd be a great way to make my summer more valuable use of time."

The program is hands-on, teaching these students not only about the Bay, but also how our communities impact it.

Jocelyn Tuttle, the Maryland Student Leadership Coordinator for the CBF, hopes these trips inspire students to take action.

"We always say, in order for people to save the Bay, they have to love it first," she said.

Tuttle said many alumni have gone on that path, including herself.

"I was actually a student in 6th grade [when I] went on my first Chesapeake Bay Foundation trip," she said. "That kind of steered me to where I am today. It definitely has a lasting impact on students."

Schulman told WJZ last week's trip inspired her to do more.

"It can start with something small like joining a club at your school. It can really just rocket from there. But, the most important thing is the initial connection to your environment," Schulman said.

The CBF has been putting on this kind of programming for the last 50 years. There are also programs available for teachers to take part in.

Over the decades, more than 1.5 million students and teachers have gone on these trips, according to the CBF.