Drifters Deployed for 8 Schools Across Country

The Adopt a Drifter Program recently deployed drifters for eight schools around the country. These drifters were deployed off the R/V Ron Brown on its way to Cape Town, South Africa. The Adopt a Drifter Program allows schools to “adopt” drifting buoys by having the students sign NOAA stickers that are then attached to the float. The students can track the drifter in the ocean and use the real time data for different classroom lesson plans, such as predicting currents and temperature profiles or using the data to plot the drifter’s track. This program enables students to interact with real time data and ocean observations, with the overall mission of encouraging students to pursue science career paths in the future. Learn how to get involved in the Adopt a Drifter Program.