More than 100 second‑graders from Immokalee’s Guadalupe Center traded their classrooms for sand and seashells during the nonprofit’s annual Buddy Day. The long-running tradition pairs students with adult mentors for a day of outdoor learning at Marco Island’s Hideaway Beach Club.
For more than 25 years, the event has brought students and volunteer “Big Buddies” together for hands-on lessons along the shoreline.
The kids rotated through activities led by Big Cypress National Preserve staff, the YMCA of Collier County, the Marco Island Shelling Club, Kids 2 Camp and the Marco Island Fire Department – everything from wildlife observation to beach games…