On January 27, University of Georgia Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant hosted the 5th annual Savannah Youth Ocean Conservation Summit, uniting young conservation leaders from coastal Georgia and equipping them with the tools needed to launch their own ocean conservation projects. Throughout the day, middle and high school students worked with their peers to develop community conservation projects and participate in sessions that focus on enhancing leadership skills, removing invasive species, and increasing community engagement through citizen science. Workshops included Sustainable Development, Marine Debris, Sea Turtle Rehabilitation, and Invasive Species. A career fair provided an opportunity for youth participants to network with professionals and explore different career paths. Participants then had the opportunity to develop and present action plans for conservation initiatives to lead in their local communities. Following the event, attendees had the opportunity to apply for grants to help support their newly planned conservation initiatives. 

Photo Credits: University of Georgia Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant 

​The Puget Sound Youth Ocean Conservation Summit is a place where people from all around Washington can come together and share their passion for the ocean. 2018 was no different. We started the morning with inspirational speeches by Jim Wharton and several youth speakers. At this point, everyone felt motivated to go about the day learning how they could make an impact on the world's oceans. As we went about the sessions you could see everyone's passion to learn about how they could make a difference increase. By the end of the day, everyone was excited to start working on their project.

As a student, it can be difficult to find people who share your interests, YOCS does just that. It allows students to explore these complicated topics with their peers while learning from experts. Students from 6th-12th grade got to spend the day sharing ideas and keeping the conversation about ocean conservation going. Not only was the event inspiring for those that attended but also those who helped plan the event. Our goal throughout the planning process was to encourage as many students as possible to further their passion and interest in the oceans. We did just that many students told members of the planning committee that the event helped them to feel confident in going forward with their projects. In a society where many adults think youth are not capable of making a change, YOCS gives youth tools and resources in order to prove those adults wrong. The youth of today are our future and we need to encourage them to pursue their interests and encourage them to follow their dreams. 
                                                        - Naia Kennedy, Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium Teen Volunteer   
                                                          YOCS Puget Sound Planning Team

Aside from the speakers, we wouldn’t have been able to pull this event off without this year’s engaged audience. I and other planning team members had conversations with youth ranging from age 13 to age 18, all of whom were passionate about their projects. Four participants wanted to start a YouTube channel together. Another girl wanted to host a dance fundraiser. One boy wanted to completely eliminate plastic utensils from his school cafeteria. As the talks progressed, the questions from participants got more and more specific and targeted--one teen even asked about US fisheries legislation. Overall, it’s fair to say that the day was a success. Our audience entered with high hopes, and left equipped with knowledge and vision (and, of course, reusable utensils). The Puget Sound #YOCS lives on. 
                                                                     - Isha Sangani​, Seattle Aquarium Teen Volunteer
​                                                                       YOCS Puget Sound Planning Team  

​On November 10, the fourth annual Long Island Youth Ocean Conservation Summit was held at Stony Brook University. Organized by the Coastal Steward and Wertheim Wildlife Refuge, this event engaged students from across Long Island and New York State. The 50 individuals in attendance began the day with a presentation by Mr. Bill Kirell, a local leader supporting the Wertheim Wildlife Refuge, and Ms. Caitlin Manley, one of the key coordinators of the LI YOCS on behalf of the Fish and Wildlife Service. Following a presentation of the end goals of the summit, they heard about Clare Dana’s Crafts for Critters project, and Zariel Macchia’s smART Gallery project – both past YOCS mini-grant recipients! 

​Next, the attendees heard from Ben May on past YOCS mini-grant projects, best practices, and opportunities to become involved in his organization ThinkOcean. Presenters also heard from Jake Chammas on key topics in sustainable development; water quality expert Maureen Dunn on her oyster shell sustainability initiative; policy advocate John Turner on his experience with creating legislative change; science expert Terra Willi on wetland restoration projects; and Coastal Steward Youth Volunteer of the Year Ethan Nichols on his work.

​Youth attendees then had the opportunity take part in an interactive art workshop by Ján C. Porinchak to brainstorm project ideas and learn how take a creative approach when presenting conservation projects. Afterwards, participants were led through a formal brainstorming session to solidify their ideas and received mentorship from an array of conservation leaders. They created project plans which included installing solar panels as their school’s energy source and painting UV reflective paint onto school windows to prevent bird collisions. They concluded the day by sharing their projects with the group.

A special thanks to all of the event presenters, organizers, and volunteers who made this event possible, as well as all of our youth participants – welcome to the Youth Ocean Conservation Team!

​Congratulations to our 2018 YOCS North Carolina and Baltimore mini-grant recipients and a special thank you to our partners and donors for their support of these conservation projects! ​

Guest Post by: Leslie Smith, NC YOCS Director

North Carolina State University's Science House at the Center for Marine Sciences and Technology (CMAST) hosted the 3rd annual North Carolina Youth Ocean Conservation Summit (NC YOCS) on Saturday, February 24! Since the day before, February 23, was National Skip the Straw day,  Skip The Straw was the theme for the 2018 NC YOCS! 70 students from across the state of North Carolina gathered in Beaufort, North Carolina at the Duke University Marine Lab to skip the straw with STRAWS filmmaker, Linda Booker, from Chapel Hill, North Carolina. 

​​Following Linda's presentation, NC YOCS participants viewed the short documentary, STRAWS, and had the unique opportunity to ask Linda questions about the film and how she became interested in plastic pollution. Linda spoke with many passionate students wanting to take action against straws and single-use plastics in their communities. 

Guest Post by: Mandy Castro, Georgia Sea Grant Marine Education Intern

The University of Georgia Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant held its fourth annual Youth Ocean Conservation Summit on January 27th, 2018 on Skidaway Island in Savannah, GA. Thirty eight students between the ages of 11 and 17 joined together to hear from our keynote speaker, participate in skill-building workshops, and create action plans to take on conservation projects for their local communities.

Amanda Wrona Meadows and LA Allen from The Nature Conservancy set a precedent about collaboration and communication when it comes to environmental conservation. From there, participants expanded their conservation repertoire through skill building workshops held by Kelly Patton from One Hundred Miles, Maia McGuire from Florida Sea Grant and UF/IFAS Extension, Jason Bedgood from the J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership at the University of Georgia, and our very own Anne Lindsay, representing UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant. Dr. McGuire informed and inspired with her keynote speech about microplastics. Additionally, the students were exposed to a variety of marine conservation careers by panelists Julia Diaz, an assistant professor, Mandi Moroz, a law clerk, Mike Robinson, a research professional, and Lisa D. Watson, an up-cycle artist. 

​The culmination of the summit’s events was the poster session that not only provided the students the opportunities to showcase their action plans but, more importantly, converse in greater detail on conservation with their peers and mentors. The YOCS Organizing Team at University of Georgia Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant look forward to seeing what the participants of the Summit do next as they continue making waves in conservation! 

​Each year, we’re proud to support the work of outstanding young conservation leaders who attend our annual Youth Ocean Conservation Summit at Mote Marine Laboratory by directly funding their newly planned or expanding ocean conservation initiatives through our mini-grant program.

This year, we’re excited to announce another outstanding class of 22 mini-grant recipients. These young leaders are driving community change to protect our blue planet and we are looking forward to seeing the impact they’ll make in the year ahead.

We are incredibly grateful for the support of the Johnson Ohana Charitable Foundation, Klean Kanteen, the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation, the Fishes Wishes, and all who participated in our 2017 annual silent auction fundraiser for your support to fund this year’s grantees. 

This year, in addition to our traditional grant program, we are awarding three Klean It Up mini-grant recipients, in partnership with Klean Kanteen, to young leaders addressing plastic pollution issues in their community and three Guy Harvey Fisheries Grants, in partnership with the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation, to YOCS participants leading projects to enhance marine habitats and fisheries. Thank you for your commitment to empowering the next generation of ocean conservationists!
 Take a moment to learn about this year’s recipients…

Alexandria Henson’s “Project L.E.A.D." promoting Local Environmental Activist Development will provide a platform for young leaders in southwest Florida to take action around critical environmental issues, and give them firsthand experience leading mangrove restoration projects and community cleanups.

Molly Newlin and the Brevard Zoo Teen volunteers will host their annual Youth Environmental Summit designed to educate, engage and inspire young people ages 12-18 to take action to protect their local environment.

Danielle Daly will work to engage her peers in the EarthEcho Water Challenge, providing tools and resources for young people to test and analyze water quality to better understand the health of local marine environments.

​Joey Goldstein’s Saving Ocean Life (SOL) organization will focus on continuing to grow their efforts to engage local youth in taking action to protect the ocean by leading regular coastal cleanups and educational activities including turtle talks, shark tagging excursions, and coral reef presentations.

Jacquelyn Noval and the C.O.R.A.L. Club will grow aquaculture coral in fish tanks to use as educational material for events and schools visits designed to educate the community on the depleting coral reef populations and ways the public can take action to protect coral reefs. The group’s long-term goal is to build and maintain an offshore artificial reef, as they already hold a permit to a plot of sea floor off Dania Beach, FL. 

Emma Gould’s Blue Future Beach Cleanups initiative will rally local community members, along the coast of Maine, to clean up their coastline and educate the public on preventing plastic pollution.

Nicole Kappaz and the Newsome High School Surfider club will launch “Undoing the Damage Begins with U”, an initiative that will mobilize local high school students to carry out regular beach cleanups and educational campaigns on marine debris. The team will collect data on the trash collected to help gauge the impact of their educational outreach efforts.
 
Caleb Jameson will launch his Turtle Friendly Toy Box project to help beach guests clean up abandoned plastic toys, provide a place for other kids to use these recycled toys, and educate beachgoers on the importance of preventing plastic pollution.
 
Ana Brown and the National Aquarium’s Aquarium on Wheels Program will lead the 2018 Baltimore Youth Ocean Conservation Summit, working to provide young people, in the city of Baltimore and surrounding areas, with the tools and knowledge needed to take action to protect marine ecosystems.

​Derek Petrisko will continue to build on his “No Mangrove=No Man” initiative by raising and replanting thousands of red mangroves in south Florida. This year, he will be working to restore mangroves in the Florida Keys to assist with post hurricane habitat recovery.
 
Kimberly Correia and the Plastic Free Mermaids are collaborating with Surfider Foundation to establish an Ocean Friendly Restaurants program encouraging restaurants to go plastic free. They will also host an Environmental Art Festival in Hollywood, FL highlighting art and solutions to plastic pollution.
 
Liv Schmeits' Forests of Change initiative will utilize technology, through the creation of engaging, high impact educational videos, to reach young people with critical messages about marine conservation topics.

​Andrea Castillo’s “Go Mangrove” Project, will engage multiple student organizations at Spanish River High School in raising mangroves on their school’s campus and ultimately in planting these mangroves to restore local marine habitats.
 
Students in Mote Marine Laboratory’s Homeschool Advanced Program will receive funding for nine projects focused on topics including plastic pollution issues and encouraging people to live a plastic free lifestyle, educating tourists about protecting local marine environments, raising awareness about sustainable seafood, ways to address cigarette butt litter, and protecting endangered marine species. 

Stay tuned for updates on the work of our grantees as they take action to protect our blue planet!

U​niting over 220 youth and adults from across the country and empowering the next generation of conservation leaders to take action to protect our blue planet, the Youth Ocean Conservation Summit was held at Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota, FL December 8th-10th. This year’s event kicked off with our annual Community Ocean Conservation Film Festival on December 9th – celebrating the power of youth leadership in the field of ocean conservation and the importance of sharing ocean conservation stories through film and media. The evening featured a showcase of youth-driven ocean conservation projects led by Summit alumni, a screening of the winning films from our Youth Ocean Conservation Film Competition, and a screening of the award winning film, Chasing Coral, leaving the audience motivated to take action to help protect our blue planet. A special thanks to our donors and supporters who participated in our silent auction fundraiser at this event to support mini-grants youth-driven ocean conservation projects and the continued expansion of this program.

While returning attendees connected and learned from our Careers in Ocean Conservation panel speaker, first time participants worked with their peers and mentors to identify an ocean conservation issue of interest and developed action plans to address these challenges. Throughout the day, attendees took part in diverse workshops on topics ranging from photography and film making to citizen science and habitat restoration in an effort to equip them with the skills and knowledge needed to successfully carry out their projects.  ​

The weekend wrapped up on Sunday with an exploration of Sarasota Bay by kayak and an investigation of the marine species living in the mangrove and seagrass habitats of Sarasota.

Guest Blog by Olivia Schmeits 

Holding the crystal blue marble in the palm of my hand, the memories of the three days I spent on a beautiful island came flooding back to me. From kayaking to looking at phytoplankton, the inaugural Youth Ocean Conservation Expedition trip was one of the most fun times I have had all year. 

Each year, our Youth Ocean Conservation Summit serves as a hub connecting young conservation leaders from across the country and empowering them to work alongside their peers to protect our planet’s marine ecosystems. We are honored to be able to work with incredible partners to support the conservation initiatives planned by these young people through our mini-grant program, which funds and provides year round support to Summit attendees.
 
We are excited to announce that this year, we are providing a record 25 mini-grants to conservation projects planned by our 2016 Youth Ocean Conservation Summit attendees. This funding provides critical support to young conservation leaders working at the front lines of the movement to protect our blue planet – with projects ranging from research studies on threatened marine mammals and restoration of key marine habitats to efforts to prevent plastic pollution at its source and to socially responsible start-up business working to raise funds for wildlife conservation efforts.

​Let’s meet our mini-grant recipients!
 
Mairead S.’ Manatees of Boca Grande initiative will allow her to expand her work conducting photo analysis and observational studies on manatees in the Boca Grande Estuary in partnership with Florida Fish and Wildlife Service.
 
Trashawn B. and Nora A. will lead the 2017 Baltimore Youth Ocean Conservation Summit, working with their peers in the National Aquarium’s Aquarium on Wheels program to train students in their city how to protect marine ecosystems.
 
Landon P.’s No Mangrove=No Man project will engage young people in raising and planting 3,000 red mangroves on both coasts of Florida to restore critical estuary habitat.
 
Brooke W. will expand her Sarasota Ocean Preservers program to increase its capacity to engage new students in field excursions to learn about Sarasota’s marine environment and participate in underwater coastal cleanup efforts. 

​Delaney F. will grow her Finformation program in order to reach new audiences of young people through school presentations, science festivals, and outreach activities to teach them about the important role sharks play in marine ecosystems.
 
Through Christian’s Photography Project, Christian P. will create a traveling display of his personal photography highlighting marine habitats and life, which will be displayed at local businesses to educate community members about marine conservation topics.
 
Derek P. will launch his Tagged initiative by training young people and recreational anglers to assist with shark tagging efforts. The data collected through this effort will then be shared with community members through outreach efforts focused on shark conservation.
 
Lilly T.’s Oyster Dockafeller project will lead to the creation of engineered oyster reefs to help improve water quality and marine habitat on the Florida coast, and in other regions. The program will also provide monthly educational opportunities for the public to learn more about the important role oysters play in coastal environments.

​Makenna K. and members of Brevard Zoo’s Teen Volunteer Program will renovate their Paws On Learning Garden area at the zoo with a focus on teaching young students and their families about ocean pollution and the importance of preventing fertilizer runoff.
 
The Plastic Free Mermaids group in Ft. Lauderdale, FL will launch their One Straw for Life campaign – educating community members about the importance of living a plastic free lifestyle, collecting data on individual’s use of single use plastic items, and providing stainless steel straws to community residents.
 
Trent T.’s Take 10 for Turtles initiative is a multi-pronged approach to protect sea turtles including outreach to local school students, coastal cleanups, the creation of art and activities for younger students, and volunteering for sea turtle releases.
 
Riley R.’s Clean Up Oceans! campaign will initiate regular beach cleanups in the Hobe Sound region of the east coast of Florida. Trash collected from these campaigns will be used to make educational art pieces to further highlight the importance of preventing marine debris.

​Hannah R. will create educational outreach kits focused on a variety of endangered marine life and invasive species and utilize these to teach younger students about wildlife conservation through schools and 4-H clubs in her community.
 
The Brevard Zoo Teen Volunteers will host a Youth Environmental Summit to increase awareness of wildlife and habitat conservation issues among students ages 12-18 and connect them to resources to take action in their communities.
 
Holly H. will host An Evening Under the Sea, transforming the Cape Coral Yacht Club into an undersea environment for an event engaging students and their families in hands on activities, crafts, games, and educational lessons focused on marine conservation with support from more than a dozen local environmental organizations.
 
Jack K. will launch his Restoring Habitat Value to Coastal Man-Made Canals project, involving youth, anglers, and local residents in collecting baseline water quality data in coastal canals, creating educational outreach initiatives on the importance of man made marine ecosystems, and carrying out initiatives to improve the water quality of these spaces. 

​Jacqueline J. will launch her Mana’tee campaign, designing logoed t-shirts and merchandise to raise awareness about manatee conservation and funds to support manatee conservation efforts.
 
Students in Mote Marine Laboratory’s Homeschool Advanced Program will receive funding for seven projects focused on topics including raising awareness about sustainable seafood, educating community members on the importance of leaving live animals at the beach, addressing cigarette butt litter and plastic pollution, and protecting endangered marine species.  
 
Olivia S.’s Forest of Change campaign will engage community members in an effort to encourage local stores to switch to biodegradable bags, and raise awareness about the importance of preventing single use plastic waste.
 
Congratulations to our mini-grant recipients! We’re looking forward to supporting your work and sharing your stories over the coming months!