Starting January 2020, Teachers on Montserrat will have the unique opportunity to immerse themselves in their ocean backyard, with fun activities and mini-workshops, through a new and innovative program called, ‘School to the Sea”. The program (a special four-part pilot) is the brain-child of local ocean activist, Miss Veta Wade, and funded in collaboration with Build Global, Fish ‘N Fins Inc. and AQUA Montserrat.
Wade, who has championed many community focused initiatives over the years, ranging from the Lion Fish Competitions, Sea Clean Ups, Kids-focused workshops, Field Trips, Sea Camps and the island’s first STEAM Fest, commented, “I am pleased for the support of Miss Sabrina Clarke of Build Global in making this program a reality, through her kind donation of $1000 USD to Fish & ”N Fins Blue Innovation Fund earlier this year. There has never been a greater need for young people, education professionals and community leaders to engage with our marine environment than there is in today’s changing climate; working with our School to the Sea Project makes that a whole lot easier and fun.”
This program, a first of its kind for Montserrat, is what Wade describes as, “EdVentures for anyone involved in leadership and role-modelling in our community; this includes teachers, policy makers, police officers, and community leaders across all ages and denominations.”
The program will involve everything from beginners swimming, snorkelling, and kayaking, to fish and coral identification, and the latest information on local, regional and global climate action. Miss Wade, emphasizes that this first phase of “School to the Sea” will increase ocean awareness, inspire lesson and project planning, develop water confidence and sea skills in adults, and will inspire schools and their classrooms to protect our ocean and take climate action.”
The first pilot of this program is expected to run between Saturday 18th January to 8th February 2020, at Little Bay, with spaces filling up quickly.
