(July 19, 2010 – Baltimore) - Baltimore City’s Congressional Delegation was thanked by Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake today for their unrelenting support of the YouthWorks summer jobs program during a press conference held at the National Aquarium.

“Job opportunities for young people have dried up in this difficult economy.”

Congressman John Sarbanes said it right. With unemployment rates on the rise, it is even harder for high school students to find good, high-quality summer jobs. Summer jobs do not only provide extra cash, but they give our youth a sense of responsibility and the skills needed for their future career.

“This year, thanks to a grant sponsored by Congressman John Sarbanes and supported by the entire delegation, our YouthWorks summer jobs program is able to employ 300 young people in career-oriented positions at worksites such as Sinai Hospital, Civic Works and the National Aquarium,” said Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake.

The congressional delegation acquired a Department of Labor grant that provides six-week summer jobs to Baltimore’s youth and young adults as a part of YouthWorks new Baltimore Career Corps project. This project helps connect youth to jobs at more than 20 various worksites, including the National Aquarium.

The National Aquarium has been an economic engine for the city of Baltimore and state of Maryland for almost 30 years, and is proud to be a worksite for the YouthWorks summer job program. This summer the National Aquarium helped provide jobs to 28 of Baltimore’s youth and young adults.

“We’re very pleased to partner with the city to support our future workforce through the 2010 Youth Works Baltimore Career Corps,” said Paula Schaedlich, chief operating officer for the National Aquarium in Baltimore. “The kids who are participating learn so much during the time they’re with us, and it’s gratifying to help them begin to develop the skills they’ll need to have successful careers.”

Two YouthWork participants from the National Aquarium expressed their graditude for having a job this summer. Dayna King, a senior at Mergenthaler Vocational-Technical High School, first worked at the National Aquarium last summer through the YouthWorks program. He was then hired to work at the Aquarium part-time during the school year.

“Summer 2009 was the best summer ever because I had a job,” he said.   

Derrick Murrell, a 2010 Patterson High School graduate, started at the aquarium this summer. He plans to study at TESST College of Technology in the fall.

Baltimore, MD– April 27, 2010–This June, the National Aquarium will present Dora & Diego’s 4-D Adventure, a new family friendly theatrical film and attraction based on Nickelodeon’s hit animated preschool series Dora the Explorer and Go, Diego, Go!. For the first time ever, families can see these popular characters animated in digital 3-D, with special effects that make the story burst off the screen. To kick off the new film, Dora and Diego costumed characters will make special appearances at the Aquarium on June 26 and 27.

On Saturday evening the National Aquarium’s Baltimore venue went dark from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. in support of Earth Hour, a global event led by the World Wildlife Fund in which millions of Americans turned out their lights for one hour in support of action towards creating a cleaner, safer and more secure future for our planet.

WE’RE EXPECTING!

Baltimore, February 22, 2010 – The National Aquarium, Baltimore is pleased to announce the pregnancy of an Atlantic bottlenose dolphin, Jade. After months of regular check-ups, ultrasounds and other health assessments, Aquarium experts estimate that Jade will give birth between mid-February and mid-March. The Aquarium’s marine mammal staff and a group of 50 trained volunteers have begun 24-hour observations to monitor the expectant mother for signs of labor as she enters into this final stage of pregnancy.

Baltimore, February 17, 2010 – Escape the Blizzards of 2010 with trip to Baltimore’s tropics! The National Aquarium is now offering a discount of $20.10 off the entire purchase of four or more Total Experience tickets purchased online at aqua.org for a visit to the Aquarium during the month of February. The offer is exclusive to online ticket sales at aqua.org with a special discount code.