Our education program is tailored to include teaching methods aimed not only at children, but dive centers, restaurants, fishermen and other stakeholder groups. The program’s main goal is to encourage the community to conserve our marine ecosystem. The main activities conducted include sea turtle camps, workshops, environmental education programs in schools, promoting the responsible seafood guide, educational and community events and guided visits to the reef by snorkel or glass bottom boat.
Despite the fact that we are still in the pandemic, we have been able to carry out many activities, both virtual and on-site, following biosecurity measures at all times.
This year, in order to promote environmental education within the Bay Islands and reach students and teachers, the Ocean Culture Integration initiative was presented, and at the same time an agreement was signed with the Department of Education of the Bay Islands to strengthen ocean literacy.
It is worth mentioning three activities that had great impact in our education program:
A collaboration was made with the Wildlife Conservation Society Professional Department to conduct webinars and workshops in both Spanish and English for teachers in the municipalities of Utila, Roatán and Santos Guardiola. Within the collaboration there was also a small contest, with the purpose of presenting a conservation project, the contest was won by teacher Iris Molina, where her students from CEB Isidro Sabio Cacho in Crawfish Rock were able to carry out activities, among them were a talk about mangrove and their importance, a guided visit to the mangrove and the drawing contest ¨This is how I see the mangrove¨.
We concluded the construction and equipping of the “Blue Classroom” inspired by Cordelia Banks, a site of wildlife importance in Roatan. The classroom is located in the CEB Jose Santos Guardiola, Punta Gorda. This school is part of RMP's "Green Schools Blue Future" initiative, and will serve as a place to conduct environmental education. The formal inauguration will be at the end of the year.
There was a second visit from the Ironshore Mermaid Montana where children from CEB Miguel Paz Barahona joined the fun! The students from first to third grade participated in a guided tour of the reef inside the glass bottom boat where they were surprised to see a real life size mermaid. The children enjoyed the ride and had a moment to get close to the mermaid to greet her and take pictures with her.
Written by: Carolina Rojas, RMP Associate-Volunteers Program