Lobster Catch and the Edward Kennedy Institute

Hi everyone!

David Coffin loves lobster!

This week was an exciting week. On Monday, we led a Share the Harbor cruise to Georges Island with 314 people. Tuesday through Thursday, we were on Spectacle. On Thursday, it was pretty crazy because we caught a lobster. I was sitting by the touch tank with some kids, when I heard another kid yell, "I got a lobster! I got a lobster!" I automatically assumed the girl got a crab, and was confused, but when I looked over, she actually had a small lobster attached to her rod. Surprisingly, it held on as the rod was reeled in, and we put rubber bands on its claws before putting it in our touch tank. Later, before we left Spectacle, we dumped the rest of our crabs out back into the ocean, but gave the lobster to some New England Aquarium staff. They often also have a touch tank at Spectacle, and they were thrilled at our "gift!" They promised to return her in the ocean when they were done. 

A replica of EMK's office

On Friday, we all met at Sullivan's for a quick lunch. We ate some delicious food--lobster rolls, clam strips, crab cake sandwiches, fish & chips, onion rings, fries, and frappes! Afterwards, we drove over to the Edward Kennedy Institute (EKI) to learn more about the role of Congress in U.S. politics, and Edward M. Kennedy's role as a previous U.S. Senator. I had never gone before, and was unsure of what to expect. I found myself having a lot of fun and learning some really interesting things about EMK and U.S. history! We all held tablets and acted as Senators-in-training as we listened to our tour guide explain everything from how a bill is introduced to EMK's influence over many North Americans. At the end of our tour, we all headed into a room that was a replica of the official Senate chamber! It was much smaller than I expected, but extremely cool nonetheless. A couple of actors introduced a mock introduction for the pending nomination (PN) of Brett Kavanaugh as Supreme Court Justice, and encouraged us to participate in the activity. A few people argued for or against Kavanaugh's nomination, explaining the various pros + cons of his possible appointment. It was very entertaining, but also allowed us to really get an opportunity to think more about current U.S. politics. It was a great way to end the week, especially because right before work, I voted early in the state primaries! Yay for civic responsibility!

Are we in the real Senate chamber??

See you next week,
Kaya