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Each year our annual Youth Ocean Conservation Summit at Mote Marine Laboratory empowers students from across Florida and the country with the knowledge, resources, and support needed to launch ocean conservation projects to protect marine ecosystems in their local communities.
To expand the reach of this program, and provide additional leadership opportunities for young people, we’ve launched a series of satellite Youth Ocean Conservation Summits. These events are planned and implemented by teams of students, working in partnership with aquariums and conservation organizations across the country. Each of these events shares components with the annual Youth Ocean Conservation Summit in Sarasota, FL, focuses on unique marine and aquatic ecosystems around the country, and provides young people nationwide with the opportunity to take action to protect the ocean. Youth participants attending these events will also be connected to resources and opportunities throughout the year through the Youth Ocean Conservation Team network. |
Upcoming Satellite Youth Ocean Conservation Summits:

YOCS Puget Sound - February 8, 2020
Hosted by the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium and the Seattle Aquarium
YOCS Puget Sound will take place on Saturday, February 8, 2020 at the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium in Tacoma, WA. This special event inspires local youth to take action in their communities by creating projects that promote conservation of our marine environment. Students will learn from local experts and work with fellow youth to develop the skills and resources necessary to plan and execute their own ocean conservation projects.The summit will feature 12 speakers including Grace Hope of 350 Tacoma, Karen Povey of Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Dune Ives of Lonely Whale and more, plus talks from youth who have led their own conservation projects. Participants will leave with an action plan to carry out their own conservation projects in the community. Following the summit, attendees will have the opportunity to apply for grants of up to $200 to help fund their conservation projects. Click here for complete details and registration information.
Hosted by the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium and the Seattle Aquarium
YOCS Puget Sound will take place on Saturday, February 8, 2020 at the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium in Tacoma, WA. This special event inspires local youth to take action in their communities by creating projects that promote conservation of our marine environment. Students will learn from local experts and work with fellow youth to develop the skills and resources necessary to plan and execute their own ocean conservation projects.The summit will feature 12 speakers including Grace Hope of 350 Tacoma, Karen Povey of Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Dune Ives of Lonely Whale and more, plus talks from youth who have led their own conservation projects. Participants will leave with an action plan to carry out their own conservation projects in the community. Following the summit, attendees will have the opportunity to apply for grants of up to $200 to help fund their conservation projects. Click here for complete details and registration information.

YOCS Savannah - February 15, 2020
Hosted by the University of Georgia Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant
Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant will host 2020 Savannah Youth Ocean Conservation Summit for students grades 6-12 from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2020. This special event will take place at the Marine Education Center and Aquarium on Skidaway Island near Savannah. Participants will have the opportunity to learn about ocean conservation topics, find out about citizen science efforts that help keep our ocean healthy, develop community project plans concerning ocean conservation, attend skill-building workshops on communication, species identification, research tools and waste reduction, and connect and network with other interested students and professionals. Click here for complete details and registration information.
Hosted by the University of Georgia Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant
Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant will host 2020 Savannah Youth Ocean Conservation Summit for students grades 6-12 from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2020. This special event will take place at the Marine Education Center and Aquarium on Skidaway Island near Savannah. Participants will have the opportunity to learn about ocean conservation topics, find out about citizen science efforts that help keep our ocean healthy, develop community project plans concerning ocean conservation, attend skill-building workshops on communication, species identification, research tools and waste reduction, and connect and network with other interested students and professionals. Click here for complete details and registration information.

YOCS Virginia Aquarium - March 7, 2020
Hosted by the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center
The Virginia Aquarium invites middle and high school students to their Youth Ocean Conservation Summit event on Saturday, March 7, 2020. This unique event will focus on sustainable fisheries, and allow participants to be inspired by their peers leading conservation efforts, as they develop their own conservation project action plan. Breakout workshop sessions will focus on topics including media training, civic engagement, community resources and more. Click here for complete details and registration instructions.
Hosted by the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center
The Virginia Aquarium invites middle and high school students to their Youth Ocean Conservation Summit event on Saturday, March 7, 2020. This unique event will focus on sustainable fisheries, and allow participants to be inspired by their peers leading conservation efforts, as they develop their own conservation project action plan. Breakout workshop sessions will focus on topics including media training, civic engagement, community resources and more. Click here for complete details and registration instructions.

YOCS New York City - POSTPONED TO 2021
Hosted by the New York Aquarium
The New York Aquarium will host the 2020 Youth Ocean Conservation Summit on Saturday, April 25, 2020. At the Summit, students will learn from local experts and there will be speakers to talk about the current threats marine ecosystems are facing. Students will also hear from their peers who are involved in youth-led marine conservation projects. The workshops offered at the Summit will teach participants the skills necessary to build their own conservation projects. With these tools, attendees will leave the Summit ready to take conservation action in their own communities. Click here to learn more and register for this special event.
Hosted by the New York Aquarium
The New York Aquarium will host the 2020 Youth Ocean Conservation Summit on Saturday, April 25, 2020. At the Summit, students will learn from local experts and there will be speakers to talk about the current threats marine ecosystems are facing. Students will also hear from their peers who are involved in youth-led marine conservation projects. The workshops offered at the Summit will teach participants the skills necessary to build their own conservation projects. With these tools, attendees will leave the Summit ready to take conservation action in their own communities. Click here to learn more and register for this special event.
Stay tuned for announcements of additional upcoming Youth Ocean Conservation Summit events and sign up for the Youth Ocean Conservation Team e-newsletter to be the first to learn about a Summit coming to your community!
A special thanks to our host organizations and partners, as well as student planning teams who have brought Youth Ocean Conservation Summits to the following cities over the past six years:
- Annapolis and Baltimore, MD - hosted by the National Aquarium - Seattle, WA - hosted by the Seattle Aquarium - Savannah, GA - hosted by the University of Georgia Marine Extension Service and Georgia Sea Grant - Newport, RI - hosted by the Mystic Aquarium and National Marine Educators Association Conference - Long Island, NY - hosted by Coastal Steward, New York Sea Grant, and Stony Brook University - Pine Knoll Shores, NC - hosted by the Center for Marine Sciences and Technology at NC State University and the North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores - New York City, NY - hosted by the New York Aquarium - Corpus Christi, TX - hosted by the Texas State Aquarium - St. Louis, MO - hosted by the St. Louis Zoo - Virginia Beach, VA hosted by the Virginia Aquarium - Marathon, FL - hosted by Mote Marine Laboratory's Research-based Afterschool Program for Students |
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