The entire school community was on hand to celebrate with a ribbon-cutting ceremony that officially opened the new campus Marine Science Center on Feb. 18. The nearly 6,000-square foot facility features a wet lab, one outdoor and two indoor classrooms that will be utilized by students in all grade levels for their study of marine science. The grand opening event featured comments from Head of School Dr. Jan Pullen, lead donor Elizabeth Moore, Bishop Dabney Smith, and Ann Marie Shields, chair of the SSES science department. A time capsule to be reopened in 2036, at the building’s 20th anniversary, was placed in the ground by Ms. Moore’s daughters – current SSES students Merry and Grace. The building was also dedicated to Mrs. Shields, a 31-year Saint Stephen’s faculty member and the architect of the school’s early marine science program. Located  on the McLewis Bayou, Saint Stephen’s is the only area school with direct access to the Manatee River and Gulf of Mexico. One Ocean, a custom designed Pre-K through grade 12 marine science curriculum, provides an opportunity for each student to study the wonders of the ocean environment.