• Dear Alumns,

    We would love to know how you are faring after graduating from Aqua. Please share your success and experiences with us at moquendo@bridgeportedu.net. Please refer to this page for the testimonials we have received. 

    Katelyn Root: The Bridgeport Aquaculture School changed me overall as a person. Although I am not majoring in science, the school was able to give me opportunities to get me closer to achieving my goals. At Aqua, I found the interest of wood shop and built a stand up paddle board. In addition, I was a teaching assistant for conceptual physics my senior year. Grading papers, teaching lessons, and getting a feel for being a teacher has helped me advance. Aqua is a great school that will do anything to see their students succeed. 
    Jessica Ganim: Attending Aqua was absolutely the highlight of my high school experience. Attending this program was a spontaneous decision that ultimately led to my passion for marine science, which I am currently majoring in at the University of Delaware. I think what makes Aqua particularly special is how close knit of a community it is. The teachers truly care about their students' success and are all immensely passionate about what they teach. Aqua has opened many doors for me and has provided me with multiple experiences that have helped me grow both as a student and as an individual. I speak not only for myself but for several other students when I say Aqua has a very special place in my heart. 
     
    Jenn Cortina (Parent): As a proud parent of an Aquaculture graduate, I can attest to the quality education they provide. At first a little skeptical , once I attended the Open House and toured the facilities, I was immediately impressed by the program. My daughter, now a freshman in college, flourished in the program. She received a quality education with courses similar to ones provided by her town school as well as many other Aqua related options. The staff was was very attentive, provided feedback at parent/teacher conferences and were always very approachable.  Communication with Aqua was much better than our own home school! The Aqua PTA was very involved with students/parents and kept parents well informed. They also provided many opportunities for college preparation.

             I was very impressed with how hands-on  Mrs Catherman was with my daughter, very familiar with her classes and even sat with her to suggest appropriate classes for the following year. Aqua also played a very important part in college planning. My daughter was accepted to all her colleges, even though she was not focusing on Aqua related studies. The Aqua program was a very important part of her application. I highly recommend this program!

    Sydney Adams: Aquaculture was the highlight of my high school career. From the moment I got up in the morning all I wanted to do was go straight to aqua. It was a gathering of so many people who had the same passion for science as you. The hands on experience was endless: building of a boat in wood shop, raising tilapia and lobster in the culture lab, being on the Catherine Moore for ecology, to learning how to use every spectrometer possible in instrumentation, or completing bacteria cultures and blood drawing exercises in medical science. The relationships you make with the teachers and other students from neighboring towns were unlike anything you could have experienced at your home school. The knowledge and hands on experience that Aqua provided me with let me walk into my first year of college and feel overly prepared. It did not matter what kind of science you were interested in, Aqua provided you with experience that would last you a lifetime.

    Colleen Barker(Nolan Barker, 2016): "I will always be grateful my son had to opportunity to attend the Aquaculture school as he is now pursuing a career as a merchant marine at SUNY maritime. It's a career path that he didn't even know about when he started at Aqua, but he found a direction he wanted to keep exploring through his Aqua years. He was also able to fully participate in his neighborhood school sports, and maintain his connection to friends and classes there, which gave him the best of both worlds. Aqua afforded him amazing experiences from the awesome Pikul experience (aka chemistry class), ECE UConn Biology course, building his treasured "boat shelf" in marine manufacturing, to studying nautical navigation! Aqua school not only helped him find his passion, but gave him a confidence to peruse it through the solid and diverse program they offered."  

    Marissa Prizzio: My name is Marissa and I currently attend the University of New Hampshire as a sophomore pre-veterinary major. I graduated from the Bridgeport Regional Aquaculture school about two years ago, and although that seems like a long time I can still remember it being the highlight of my high school experience. In the four years I spent attending Aquaculture I discovered my love for medical science, made new friends, competed in science fairs, and so much more. In my senior year I was even lucky enough to be part of the BACA program where I completed a self lead research project that helped build my independence and self confidence. Aquaculture was a perfect fit for me in so many ways. It not only made my high school memorable, but it provided me with all the tools I needed to succeed and is a big reason why I am where I am today.