In the News

Coral Reef Ed-Ventures 2007 is here!

Excerpted from an article appearing in the San Pedro Sun, June 21, 2007

Coral Reef Ed-ventures is here again for its eighth summer! This fun-filled, free, and educational program, sponsored by Hol Chan Marine Reserve and Smith College (Northampton, Massachusetts, USA) will teach children of San Pedro between ages 7-11 about coral reef ecology using a variety of activities, including scientific experiments, games, stories, arts and crafts projects and field trips. This summer the program will be held at the RC School beginning Monday, July 2, and will run till July 13 in the mornings from 9 to 11:45 a.m.

Coral Reef Ed-ventures will also be running an advanced program for students ages 12 and up who have attended the regular program in previous years or who have a strong interest in learning more about the coral reef. The week-long course will take place starting on the June 25, and run until the June 29 in the afternoons from 4 to 6 p.m. The location of this advanced course has yet to be determined. The course will provide a more in-depth look into some of the environmental and human-induced factors faced by the Belizean coral reef today and involve a larger group project.

Both programs will culminate in a graduation ceremony, performance and party on Friday, July 13, at 7 p.m. at the Lion’s Den. All participating students will be presented with prizes and a Coral Reef Expert Cap.

The teachers will also be showing movies on Wednesday evenings, June 20, June 27, and July 4 at the Lion’s Den. Look for posters around town with the time and movie titles. Popcorn will be served!

This summer’s teachers from Smith College are Whitney Dorer ’07, psychology major, environmental science and policy minor; Stephanie Moore ’07, geology major, physics minor; Loretta Cheung ’09, government major, environmental science and policy minor; Penny Luo ’08, biology major, marine science minor; Maya Wei-Haas ’09, geology major, chemistry minor; and Andrea Gohl ’08, geology major.

Can’t wait to see you there and around San Pedro!

Coral Reef Ed-Ventures -- Back for More Educational Fun!
From Ambergris Today, June 22nd, 2006 Volume 8, number 25

Coral Reef Ed-ventures presents a new ADVANCED course. For students 12 and up, this three day course is geared towards students who have attended regular Coral Reef Ed-ventures before or who have a strong interest in learning more about the coral reef.

The course will take place Monday thru Wednesday on June 26, 27, and 28 from 9:00 to 11:30 a.m. at the L.l.F.E. Academy. Pick up a permission slip for Coral Reef Ed-ventures Advanced at the Hol Chan Marine Reserve Office and bring it on the first day!

The course will provide a more in-depth look into some of the environmental and human-induced factors faced by the Belizean coral reef today.

The traditional Coral Reef Ed-Ventures program, entering its seventh summer, will once again be held at the L.l.F.E Academy beginning Monday, July 3, 2006 until July 14, from 9:00 to 11:30 a.m. This free, fun, educational program sponsored by Hol Chan Marine Reserve and Smith College (a university in Northampton, Massachusetts, USA) will teach coral reef ecology to the children of San Pedro ages 7 – 11 using a variety of activities, including scientific experiments, games, stories, arts and craft projects, and field trips.

Both programs will culminate in a graduation ceremony, performance, and Friday, July 14, at 7:30 p.m. at the Lion’s Den. All participating students will be presented with prizes and a Coral Reef Expert Card.

This summer’s teachers are Sharon Beauregard, education major, Smith College ‘07; Erin Benger, biology major, environmental science and policy minor, Smith College ‘07;Whitney Dorer, psychology major, environmental science and policy minor, Smith College ‘07; Katie Morrice, biology major, marine science minor Smith College ‘07; Emily Tyner, biology major, marine science minor, Smith College ‘06; and Kelsey Winsor, geology major, philosophy minor, Smith College ‘07.

Photo Caption: Kelsey Winsor, Whitney Dorer, Sharon Beauregard, Emily Tyner, Katie Morrice, Erin Benger of Coral Ed-Ventures.

Link to article:
http://www.ambergristoday.com/archives/22-6-06/index.html#story5

Amped Up for an Ed-Venture!
The San Pedro Sun: The Island Newspaper, Ambergris Caye, Belize Vol. 16, No. 24 June 15, 2006

The volunteers from Smith College went to different classrooms and gave the students a little peek of what was in store for them during the Coral Reef Ed-Ventures program.

Just barely a week has passed since Smith College of Northampton, Massachusetts introduced the 7th annual Coral Reef Ed-Ventures summer program, and already children are pouring into the Hol Chan Marine Reserve’s visitor center to pick up their permission slips. This successful environmental education endeavor is a unique and collaborative effort between the college and the reserve where the roots run deep. Having started out small in the year of 2000 with a total of 5 participants, the program has expanded to as many as 70 children since.

Coral Reef Ed-Ventures is designed to increase knowledge and awareness of reef ecology as well as emphasize the importance of reef preservation to the San Pedro community. The program implements these objectives by encouraging the involvement of primary school staff in a teacher workshop, and focusing on children between the ages of 7 and 11 years old in a curriculum filled with creative activities, hands-on scientific experimentation and exploration of the environment. In the past, some of these activities consisted of movie nights, beach walks, art sessions, and engagingly informative talks from guest speakers to demonstrate how the actions of humans affect ecosystems, specifically the coral reef.

This year’s Coral Reef Ed-Ventures will be held from July 3rd- the 14th from 9:00 a.m.-11:45 a.m. at L.I.F.E Academy. Permission slips are available at the San Pedro Library and the Hol Chan Marine Reserve. There will also be an advanced program for 12-13 years from June 26th-28th. Thanks to the generous support of local businesses donating their goods and services, this program is a cost-free opportunity to take learning and recreation to a whole other level. Smith College and Hol Chan can hardly wait to see the future of San Pedro’s smiling faces!

Link to article: http://sanpedrosun.net/old/06-244.html