CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (AP) — Capt. Rod Spivey idles his skiff loaded with science equipment and middle school science students toward what will be their offshore classroom for the next hour.

As the boat’s bow closes in on the sturdy wooden platform in Redfish Bay Spivey begins to bark out docking instructions to his young charges from the Science & Spanish Club Network at Sterling B. Martin Special Emphasis Middle School. He had their attention.