Samantha Johnson Intrigues Guests with Touch Tank Experience

“I love seeing our guests go from not wanting to touch the invertebrates or the stingrays to not wanting to leave,” says Florida Oceanographic Society exhibit guide Samantha Johnson.  “It’s great to help people have a touch tank experience that really gets them excited about marine life.”

Samantha began volunteering at the Coastal Center in 2018, and has given more than 123 hours of service. Since the Coastal Center reopened this summer, she has increased her hours and now spends one or two days each week volunteering. Samantha developed her love of science during classes in middle and high school. She completed high school in just three years, and this December, will earn her associate degree in environmental science at Indian River State College in Fort Pierce.

Volunteering is something Samantha really enjoys. Prior to joining our team, she served at the Oxbow Eco-Center in Port St. Lucie, where she lives with her parents and younger brother.  In 2019, she spent in a week in Camalote, a small village in Honduras, on a mission trip with Treasure Coast Community Church. Her group built a playground and classrooms at a local church, and Samantha’s understanding of Spanish was useful during the week.  Though the 2020 mission trip was cancelled due to the world health crisis, Samantha is hoping to return to Camalote next summer.

In the little free time she has between studying, volunteering, and working at a local restaurant, Samantha likes to hang out with friends at the beach. She also likes to draw characters from her favorite movies and television shows.  After graduation from IRSC, Samantha plans to earn her bachelor’s degree in sustainability and environmental science at Florida International University in Miami.  “The Coastal Center is a great place to be,” says Samantha.  “We’re all very different but we’re interested in the same things.”

Samantha Johnson Snapshot

Home with family: Port St. Lucie

Fav eats: Chili’s, Olive Garden

On screen: Criminal Minds

Best beaches: Cocoa Beach, Fort Myers Beach

Reading now: Twilight Saga