66 



of observing marine mammals at close range, many to renew their admiration, and 

 many to continue to learn more about the animals. Local residents return frequently 

 for the same reasons. Whether the original intent is recreational, aesthetic or edu- 

 cational, all visitors leave with a greater understanding and appreciation of marine 

 mammals. 



Visitor responses are tracked by comment cards, which are available at the Dol- 

 phin Environment, «md at locations throughout The Mirage. Each week, responses 

 are sent to those who reouest additional information on marine mammals, teaching 

 materials and career guidance in marine biology. We also routinely tell people about 

 volunteer opportunities in the area of conservation in their communities across the 

 United States. 



As one of the fastest growing cities in the United States, Clark County, where The 

 Mirage is located, currently has the eleventh largest school district in the country. 

 At the inception of this project, there was little offered to students in the areas of 

 marine and environmental education. To meet the needs of our community, age-ap- 

 propriate education programs were developed for pre-kindergarten through univer- 

 sity level students. Two programs, each one hour in length, are presented each 

 weekday morning. For many of our students. The Mirage Dolphin Environment pro- 

 vides the first and only opportunity to observe marine mammals in close proximity. 

 Although originally developed for the Las Vegas School District, our programs have 

 attracted school groups from other areas of Nevada, Utah, Arizona, and California, 

 university-level programs on marine and environmental science are presented in co- 

 operation with tne University of Nevada at Las Vegas and Clark County Commu- 

 nity College. In addition, lectures, workshops and in-school programs nave been 

 made available upon request. 



When teachers requested additional information to incorporate into their curricu- 

 lum, a state-accredited four-week course was developed to provide the necessary 

 teadiing materials and resources to ensure the effectiveness of our educators. 



Today, an average of 35,000 students participate in our education programs annu- 

 ally and 700 teachers have completed our four-week course. We rate our effective- 

 ness by the letters received from school children telling us what they learned during 

 their programs, and by a 100 percent rating of excellent on evaluation forms from 

 teachers who have completed our course. Follow-up evaluations are provided by 

 teachers who write to let us know they are utilizing the educational materials pro- 

 vided. Our university-level programs have grown, and will continue to grow, with 

 the newly established Department of Environmental Studies at the University of 

 Nevada at Las Vegas. 



As awareness oC and interest in, environmentally-related subjects continues to ex- 

 pand, so have our programs. At the request of educators in our school district, new 

 workshops and materials have been designed and implemented covering the subjects 

 of rainforests and wetlands. 



Developing an interest in learning is the first step to knowledge. As a better un- 

 derstandmg of the process of education has evolved, we have learned that some indi- 

 viduals have a propensity to retain information when it is provided orally, while 

 others require a visual frame of reference. We have also learned that the most pow- 

 erfiil medium for education is kinesthetic — allowing individuals to learn through 

 physical experience. These factors are taken into consideration by every educator 

 looking to establish effective programming. 



We have always made every effort to meet the needs of visitors, educators, stu- 

 dents, and the community at large, believing that the limits of our creativity woulld 

 be our only barrier to growth and expansion. Today, however, we are faced with new 

 challenges as we are asked to meet the special needs of individuals who can under- 

 stand and learn only through physical interaction, individuals who are learning dis- 

 abled, visually impaired, and mentally challenged, as well as children who are ter- 

 minally ill, have ail expressed a desire to experience the wonderment of dolphins. 

 We have been contacted by parents, organizations, and schools requesting special 

 programming to meet the needs of these individuals. Althou^ we possess tne mter- 

 est, the resources, and the expertise necessary to implement such programs, all re- 

 quests to date have been denied due to the existing NMFS policy. 



As a public displav facility, we strive to uphold the spirit of the laws that govern 

 us. The Animal Welfare Act has clearly established guidelines for our facUity and 

 the animals in our care. The Marine Mammal Protection Act has clearly stated the 

 value of public display facilities. Yet, in daily operations, we are often faced with 

 new challenges and new opportunities that are not always clearly defined under cur- 

 rent legislation. Often, the governmental agencies charged with the administration 

 of the Marine Mammal Protection Act are establishing policies based on interpreta- 

 tions of the intent of Congress. 



