BELFAST — “New STEAM Team Ocean Xplorers Program is turning the tides towards the future starting in October,” said Belfast Free Library, in a news release.

Registration is now open (https://extension.umaine.edu/waldo/4h/ocean-xplorers/) for a new, interactive multi-session STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) ocean-focused adventure series at the Belfast Free Library, 106 High Street.

The series “STEAM Team Ocean Xplorers,” a collaborative effort between the University of Maine Cooperative Extension’s Waldo County 4-H, the Belfast Free Library and the UMaine MARINE Initiative, allows youth ages 8-12 to explore and discover undersea and seaside wonders together with UMaine and local scientists and field experts through hands-on learning experiences and activities once a month.  Registration is conducted monthly for each separate session.

The free program will kick off on Oct. 19 with Diving into Aquaponics. Held at the Belfast Free Library’s Abbott Room on the ground floor, participants will learn all about aquaponics, a type of sustainable farming that combines raising fish in tanks (aquaculture) and growing plants without soil (hydroponics). Youth participants will practice engineering and observation skills and have the opportunity to get up close with an aquaponics system.

“This is a great opportunity to practice problem-solving, troubleshooting, and systems thinking skills,” said BFL.

For more information, contact Stephanie Holman, sholman@belfastlibrary.org or 207-338-3884, ext. 24.