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Amber LaMonte: A Front Row Seat At Sea = Memorable Professional Learning, July 13, 2026

Amber, wearing her blue Teacher at Sea t-shirt, poses on the dock in front of NOAA Ship Oregon II. She stands with her hand shielding her eyes as she looks off to right of the photo. We can see the NOAA logo, the letters N O A A, and the ship number R 226 painted on the ship's white hull. The sky is a bold NOAA shad of blue but mostly obscured by dramatic clouds rising up from behind the ship.

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Amber LaMonte

Aboard NOAA Ship Pisces

Sail Dates: May 31 – June 10, 2026

Mission: Northeast Ecosystem Monitoring Survey (EcoMon)
Geographic Area of Cruise: Mid-Atlantic, Southern New England & Gulf of Maine
Date: July 13, 2026

Reflection

The NOAA Teacher at Sea professional learning experience reinvigorated my passion for exposing students to the relevance of current scientific research.  It allowed me to see and share what goes on behind the scenes, thereby reducing some of the intimidation students may feel when pursuing research opportunities with a prestigious organization.

I am inspired by the teams of scientists, resource managers, navigators, engineers and communicators who work together to protect our oceans. NOAA’s work in forecast predictions, fisheries management and safe navigation demonstrates how many different skills and areas of expertise contribute to a shared goal of ocean conservation.

Science Team aboard back deck of NOAA Ship Pisces in orange foul weather gear.

Many Minds, One Goal

The Science Team is pictured here: Artem Dzhulai, Nick Metheny, Rowan Cirivello, Ava Cieplinski, Katey Marancik, Audy Peoples, Amanda Jacobson, Olivia Robson and Amber LaMonte

Four young women wearing life jackets are on a boat, actively pulling on a rope while surrounded by water and a cloudy sky.
Student team hauling a sample (photo courtesy of York High School)

This collaborative approach highlights my message: regardless of individual interests in science, technology, communication or leadership, students can have a meaningful role in protecting marine environments. My goal is to facilitate learning experiences that help students recognize unique strengths, develop critical thinking skills and understand how teamwork with diverse talents can contribute to the stewardship of our ocean resources.

magnified view of two juvenile squid on a class dish
Juvenile squid sample
a man stands at a lab bench. in his left hand is a wooden block with a grid of hole drilled into it, containing about 20 glass vials. with his right hand, he holds up one vial to examine it further. on the bench in front of him and the shelves on the wall are more cases of vials.
Lead Scientist Audy Peoples
NOAA logo printed on a welcome mat on a floor
NOAA Narragansett Office
a warehouse room filed with cardboard boxes stacked on the floor and on metal shelves.
Warehouse of zooplankton samples
close-up view of a glass vial containing preserved krill
Krill Sample

One of the most fulfilling aspects of my sail experience was completing technical and laboratory tasks alongside scientists and technicians, which allowed me to develop meaningful questions. My sail experience was followed by a visit to NOAA’s Narragansett Lab, where I viewed the extensive collections of preserved plankton. It is one of the largest archives of plankton and oceanographic data on the East Coast. Remember all the zooplankton samples from the bongos?

Book cover titled 'Longstanding Polish-American Research: Oceans and Atmosphere' featuring a blue background with a world map and illustrations of various fish.
https://bibliotekanauki.pl/chapters/2129737

And do you recall that those samples are sent to Poland for classification? Well, once sorted, they are returned to and cataloged by the lab in Rhode Island. I was gifted a book that highlights 50 years of Polish-American research collaboration. The studies are multidisciplinary and further highlight the teamwork behind understanding and protecting our ocean. The ability to discuss with scientists the details of their research and how the survey data will be applied to their team’s planned publications has informed my design of future lesson plans.

Another aspect that completely filled my cup of teacher inspiration was being able to share my days in real time with my students. Participating in the program during the last two weeks of the school year gave me a captive student audience, who were genuinely enjoying learning through my experience. Several blog posts were published for them to read in class and learn about the science of the sail. Additionally, I asked the students to create challenge cards on blank playing cards. They ranged from taking random pictures & predicting which species I might see, to blogging about my meals, OOTD (outfit of the day), social media dances and tours of the ship. These were shared daily on our school’s science Instagram stories.

Global Drifter Tracking

What excites me most about the Global Drifter Program is the opportunity to bring authentic science into my classroom. At York High School, we will continue to follow the three drifters I had the opportunity to deploy from NOAA Ship Pisces with our own dedicated webpage. The data these instruments provide are essential for validating satellite observations and improving forecasting models. And now, rather than simply learning about ocean currents with a lecture, students can follow active drifters, analyze authentic data in near real time and make observations based on the same information used by scientists. There is something incredibly powerful about giving students access to live data and inviting them to ask questions, identify patterns, and draw conclusions.

An image displaying a Drifter ID Card for Drifter #1, showing deployment information and data collection details, superimposed on a map indicating the location in the United States with trajectory and sampling area graphs. The card notes the current lifetime of 34 days.
Drifter #1
Drifter ID card showing deployment information for Drifter #2. It includes details such as IMEI, ID, WMO number, and the ship 'RV PISCES.' The card features coordinates, deployment date, and graphs depicting raw data, sampling area, and recent trajectory. It is superimposed on a map of U.S. Atlantic ocean. The drifter card indicates a lifetime of 33 days.
Drifter #2
Map showing the full trajectory of Drifter #3 with blue square indicating deployment location and red circle representing current position as of July 13, 2026. The trajectory zigzags from southeast of Massachusetts (~66 degrees W, 39 degrees N) to southeast of Greenland (~47 degrees W, 41 degrees N)
Drifter #3

Above, you can see the trajectory of each drifter after approximately 1 month. Drifter #1 is off the coast of Pennsylvania; Drifter #2 appears to have followed me home towards the Chesapeake Bay and Drifter #3 has gotten into the flow of the Gulf Stream and is traveling to the Northeast Atlantic.

Future

A young man in a hoodie interacts with a colorful display at an exhibit, while a large sign on the wall reads 'WE ARE IMPACTFUL.'
Maritime Field Trip (photo courtesy of York High School)
A student measuring substances in plastic cups labeled with different names, with a balance scale and clipboard in a science classroom.
Ocean Acidification Lab (photo courtesy of York High School)
A group of teenagers and young adults gathered on a ship deck, smiling for the camera, with a cloudy sky and buildings in the background.
Maritime Club (photo courtesy of York High School)
Magnified view of transparent shells and bubbles, showcasing intricate textures and colors.
Pteropod sample collections under the microscope aboard Pisces
A hand holding a dark bottle labeled 'SURFACE' over a clear cup, with additional cups and a machine in the background.
Filtering phytoplankton from water samples collected by Rosette Niskin bottles.

Looking ahead, I am energized by the many ways I can extend this experience into my classroom, school community and professional practice. I am especially excited to engage students in investigations of “osteoporosis of the sea,”  aka ocean acidification, using pteropods, helping them understand how environmental changes impact marine ecosystems. I also plan to involve students in validating NASA satellite imagery through phytoplankton collection data, giving them the opportunity to contribute to authentic scientific research while strengthening their data literacy skills.

Beyond the classroom, I hope to inspire students through our Maritime Club, creating opportunities for hands-on exploration, environmental stewardship and connections to maritime career paths. And I will be sharing what I have learned with colleagues through a back-to-school professional development presentation for science teachers, highlighting the value of authentic, place-based learning experiences. As I continue to grow professionally, I also hope to share these experiences at future marine education conferences, connecting with other educators.

Personal

Two women holding a book titled 'A Good Catch' in front of the NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service sign.
Amber LaMonte and Ava Cieplinski at the Narragansett Lab with the children’s book “A Good Catch” by Taylor Morrison

One of the most unexpected treasures of my NOAA Teacher at Sea experience wasn’t just what I learned; it was connections with fellow blue minds. The picture above is a prime example of how those connections span over decades. Recent college graduate Ava Cieplinski, who served as a science volunteer on the sail, and I were gifted a children’s book, “A Good Catch,” that was illustrated and written in collaboration with NOAA Fisheries in 2011. From scientists and crew members to fellow educators who share a passion for discovery, the voyage created lasting connections that stretch far beyond the horizon.

There’s something about being surrounded by the ocean that puts everyone on the same wavelength. The salty air, the teamwork required and the calm, connected state inspired by water, described by Wallace J. Nichols as the Blue Mind. As a teacher, I’m returning home with more than data, photos and lessons for my students. I’m bringing back a community of ocean advocates, scientists and lifelong learners who remind me that the most meaningful discoveries often happen through human connection.