This year will be Mr. Coller’s first year teaching marine biology at Wilsonville High School and he’s eager to make kids understand the importance of the ocean in everyday life and fee as connected to it as he does.

He grew up around the ocean and said “This is the farthest I’ve been from the ocean my whole life” jokingly he stated, “It physically hurts me sometimes.”

His main goal for the class is to get students out and experience marine life and the ocean as much as possible during the semester.  He wants the students to be curious, travel and explore the world.

He previously taught the class in California.  He said teaching it in Wilsonville would be a learning experience for him and the students because he’s now on the Oregon Coast, so he’d like for the material to be related to the areas around his students.

He has large goals for the class, such as taking the Marine Bio students scuba diving and on ventures to the Oregon Coast, he stated: “I want to set up aquariums for the class for each different file of animals they would be learning about.”

He knows that getting the class to a point he will be satisfied with will take time and effort, but he hopes with the help of previous marine bio teacher, Mr. Schauer, the class will be a place for students to learn hands-on and make it more enjoyable for them.