Student program on ocean offered
The Marine Mammal Center in the Marin Headlands has created an online program for high school students who want to learn about ocean conservation and the environment.
The program, called “Ocean Conservation Leaders,” not only prepares teens to study or work in ocean science, but offers tools they could use to promote community engagement or environmental advocacy in any forum, said Sara Smith, a manager at the center.
“We’ve observed a big gap in what was available as far as afterschool programs and support,” Smith said. “We also observed that high school youth are ready and able to pop online and work independently — and be really active participants in a program and also in their community.”
All in-person activities at the center, including tours and lectures, have been suspended for the public since the initial coronavirus restrictions in March, she said. Other than an online summer camp, Ocean Conservation Leaders is the first major online youth education program offered by the center since the pandemic started, according to center spokesperson Giancarlo Rulli.
“The program fills a critical void in high school after-school programs that are currently on hold due to the pandemic,” Rulli said. “It allows high school youth to connect around their shared passion for ocean conservation, build a national network and gain important career development skills.”
Karina Abou-Chakra, a marine science educator for the center, agreed.
“We hope to build a community of leaders that will support one another after this program as they navigate protecting our ocean,” she said.
The deadline to apply for the first quarterly session is 4:30 p.m. Monday. The program fee is $75. Scholarships are available.
Program and application details are available online at marinemammalcenter.org.
Smith said the center, which is accepting applications from across the nation and internationally, expects to limit the size of the first session to 30 to 40 students. Another session will begin in May and a fall session will start in September, Rulli said.
The program is built around weekly online meetings from 4 to 5:30 p.m. on Tuesdays. Between the meetings, participants will finish required readings, attend forums and participate in surveys.
Smith said completion of the program will be a “resume builder” for students who might wish to continue in the ocean conservation or climate fields or apply for internships. For example, the Marine Mammal Center, a working medical clinic for injured animals, expects to restart its in-person youth crew next fall, Smith said.
Although the Ocean Conservation Leaders program will not involve interaction with the sea animals, completing the program would be a plus in applying for the youth crew, she said.
Students are eligible to apply if they are high school students — including home school — in grades nine through 12 for winter and spring sessions, or will be a ninth- through 12th- grader for the summer session. Applicants must have a reliable computer, Zoom access and a commitment to attend every session.