Young Marine Explorers Announces Launch of New Conversation Program at Inaugral Program at Inaugral Citizen Science Conference in San Jose California

Tue, Mar 3rd 2015, 04:56 PM

At the conference, she announced the launch of YME’s newest program, a 3-year Conservation Program targeting senior high students in the public schools.

The Citizen Science 2015 meeting is a pre-conference of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Annual Meeting held from 14-20 February, a widely recognized global science gathering bringing thousands of scientists, engineers, policymakers, educators and journalist together to discuss the most recent developments in science and technology at Citizen Science.Participants exchange ideas and experiences on how to develop a world where people understand, value and participate in science.

In her address, Ms. Sheil-Rolle discussed YME’s programs which engage Bahamian high school students in marine stewardship to care for beaches and coral reefs. She highlighted the newest 3-year Conservation Program. During the three years of this innovative, new program students from grades 10-12 would participate in weekly after-school classes and Saturday ocean classroom fieldtrips. The curriculum is mapped over the Ministry of Education’s high school curriculum to reinforce what students are learning in Biology, Geography, Math and Language Arts. 

Ms. Sheil-Rolle anticipates that students in the YME Conservation Program will perform higher on their BGCSE’s, express a value for volunteerism, have a working knowledge of Bahamian laws and regulations, and gain professional skills for the work force, however not without community and corporate support.

“The system has been tested… it works. The activities and field work we have outlined for the students are designed to challenge them and increase their critical thinking and analytical skills along with their overall knowledgeability. These traits are necessary to excel in the local curricula,” Ms. Sheil-Rolle explained. “We look forward to engaging kids in volunteerism and cultivating a love for the environment, but we need first to develop partnerships with companies and organizations who are prepared to invest in Bahamian youth.

“In order for us to reach our goal of 10% of government senior high school students, which we estimate is the critical minimum required to make a measurable impact, we need to enroll 4,000 students in this program,” Ms. Sheil-Rolle explained, acknowledging that this degree of growth is not going to happen overnight. “If we start in the islands we already operate in and expand in stages, we can achieve our goal in several years, but it will require investment. We are looking forward to expanding our corporate partnerships in the coming months to make this program available for more students."

Ms. Sheil-Rolle added that any companies or individuals interested in getting involved as sponsors or mentors should contact the Young Marine Explorers at [contact info]

 

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