Scheduling and Reserving Programs

Grades 5 - 12, College & Adult Groups

Educational programs are offered September through May of each school year. Groups must make reservations in advance. Reservations for residential programs can be made up to 12 months in advance. Day program reservations can be made as early as August of the current school year. All programs must be reserved over the phone or in person. Trip dates are confirmed only when the deposit is received (see below).

All dates are filled on a first-come-first-served basis. Call the scheduling coordinator at (912) 598-2335 between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, or e-mail mared@uga.edu. Please have the following information ready when scheduling:

1. Name of contact person scheduling the trip.
School or organization name, address, phone and fax number, and e-mail if applicable.

2. Grade level and number of students/chaperones planning to attend

3. Preferred dates and times (with 2nd and 3rd choices)

4. Special needs Confirmation

Teachers or group leaders will receive a pre-trip information packet (can be sent via e-mail) once deposit is received.

Group Size: Minimum group size for MECA programs is 15 participants. If your group does not meet this minimum, you will be required to pay for 15 participants. The maximum varies depending on the type of program and the activities you choose. We may split large groups or combine small groups. Overnight maximum is determined by dorm space and staff availability.

Deposits & Cancellation Policy:

1. A $275 deposit is required for all overnight programs and is refundable only if at least 60 days notice of cancellation is given.
2. A $100 deposit is required for full or half-day programs and is refundable only if at least 30 days notice is given.

Cancellations must be received via fax or mail with the trip leader's signature. Phone cancellations will not be honored. If a cancellation is made fewer than 7 days in advance, the group will be billed for one-half of the fees for all reserved facility usage, boat usage, dormitory and meal fees. Please inform MECA as soon as possible if you must cancel your program. Cancellations made less than 30 days before the scheduled program may affect requests for future reservations from your school or organization.

Chaperones: Teachers and chaperones are responsible for students and must accompany them at all times. MECA requires an adequate number of chaperones attend and participate in scheduled programs. For all programs, one chaperone is required for every 10 students and will attend free of charge. Additional chaperones for all programs are charged the student rate, and cannot be accompanied by children who are not part of the organized group.

Arrival Times: Please be prompt! Plan to arrive early to allow time for the group leader to check in. Groups arriving late will have an abbreviated program. All programs will end at their originally scheduled time. No refunds or discounted fees are given for late arrivals. Groups arriving at the dormitory in the evening must arrive no later than 9:00 p.m.

Special Needs: Our main facility is on ground-level with a wheelchair lift in the aquarium and wheelchair-accessible rest rooms. Our dormitory and cafeteria also have wheelchair-accessible rooms and rest rooms. We also have an ADA accessible nature trail and marsh boardwalk on campus. Let us know ahead of time if we need to make arrangements to accommodate special needs.