By Vanessa Ybarra

AquaVan gives Kamloops students rare, up-close look at animal life

Apr 12, 2017 | 4:00 PM

KAMLOOPS — Dallas Elementary school students got to take part in a special hands-on learning experience Wednesday morning.

Kindergarten to grade seven students were given the chance to get an up-close look at marine life, as well a bear and otter fossil, as part of the Vancouver Aquarium’s ‘AquaVan’ cross-country tour.

Wednesday’s stop is one of 150 the aquarium’s Marine Science Centre Education team is making as part of this year’s Canada 150 celebrations.

“We’re heading all the way across Canada as part of the Canada 150 grant,” said AquaVan Coordinator Tamara Loney. “We’ll be visiting communities all the way out to Nova Scotia, our farthest away is Sydney, Novia Scotia and we’re on the road until October.”

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Loney says the event is especially memorable for kids who are from the B.C. Interior including Kamloops.

“It’s really great because we’re meeting a lot of kids who have never had the opportunity to go to the ocean before so for a lot of them it’s their first time seeing a starfish or a sea urchin,” added Lowney. “They’re amazed to find out they’re even alive, let alone our choices in Kamloops can affect our animals in the ocean.”

“I loved the starfish, it was really cool,” said Grade One student Kyla Harrison.

“My favourite part was the otter, his sharp teeth were really cool,” said Grade One student Blake Renner.

“I loved all the moving creatures, it was so cool,” said Sasha Delitzoy.

The AquaVan visited elementary schools in Juniper Ridge Wednesday as well.

The team is scheduled to visit Lloyd George and AE Elementary School Thursday, with a special stop at the B.C. Wildlife Park on Saturday.