Engaging Our Ocean Leaders

Ocean Leaders is comprised of three intensive programs that build off one another to further students' interest, skills and content knowledge in the ocean sciences. These programs include: SEA Semester, Science Empowering Students (SES) and Bahia and reach students from sixth grade through high school. Each program is uniquely designed to engage students in science education through intensive lab and field activities as well as research and exploration projects. Each program leverages mentor/mentee relationships in an effort to build the leaders of tomorrow and ensure a supportive environment for learning. These programs work to position Ocean Leaders for success along the path of science education and beyond.

SEA Semester:

The first program selects 10 incoming 6th grade students and three students from the associated high school who act as mentors. (The selected 6th grade students are recommended by their teachers and parents as "low achieving" but "high potential" candidates who would benefit from the program).The students come together three times each week over the course of nine weeks to participate in labs and field activities, work alongside graduate students to conduct research, and learn to swim and snorkel in order to explore the marine environment first hand. In addition, the high school age mentors meet weekly with Ocean Discovery Institute personnel to prepare for their role in activities and improve their leadership skills. At the culmination of the program, the students travel to the University of Southern California's Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies, where they explore the ocean sciences in a structured program using the facility's labs and ecological reserve.

Science Empowering Students:

The second program continues to provide ocean science experiences to middle school and high school age youth. Graduates from SEA Semester are paired with older, high school age mentors and together they participate in lab and classroom-based experiential learning activities. A total of 35 students participate in Science Empowering Students each year, meeting on a weekly basis to study scientific principles and explore careers in science and conservation. Once a month they participate in a field exploration based on the concepts studied in the classroom and each year the participants conduct an intensive weekend exploration of a field site in the region.

BAHÍA:

The third program provides approximately 22 high school students each year with an intensive, research-focused education experience that in part takes place at a field site in Baja California, Mexico. Older 11th and 12th grade students are paired with younger, low-achieving, but high potential, 9th and 10th grade students to act as mentors. The younger students use their linguistic and cultural strengths to assist their non-Spanish speaking mentors and scientists working with the program.

These students spend several weeks in the spring preparing for their intensive research experience. They study ocean science concepts and develop skills in the classroom, lab and field. During this time the students also learn to swim and snorkel, in order to prepare to make observations of the marine environment and collect data.

Ulisses explores university options Following this intensive preparation, the students spend five weeks living and conducting marine science-focused research, alongside scientists from universities and government agencies, at a field research station located on the Sea of Cortez in Baja California, Mexico. The students then return to San Diego where they present their research findings to the local community and at professional scientific conferences.