A new program in Caribbean schools

By Dana Niland
CJ Contributor

The Sandals Foundation, the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation, and CARIBSAVE (INSTASAVE Caribbean) have teamed up to launch an initiative called the Save Our Seas Program in Ocho Rios, Jamaica.

The project will be implemented in the curricula of 40 schools across the region and will work on developing marine awareness and environmental stewardship.

“The people of the Caribbean have relied on the ocean for centuries but have never necessarily grasped the impact they have on its wellbeing,” said Sandals Foundation Director Heidi Clarke. “By teaching the next generation to understand how their actions affect the marine ecosystem and give them ownership of its wellbeing we can hopefully make a much needed change.”

Some of the program’s features will include marine awareness videos, posters, lesson plans, activity books, and competitions.

The lesson plans, which will be directed at students in grades 6-8, have been designed to promote interactive and engaging learning regarding topics such as “Coral Reefs and Protecting Our Oceans,” “Creatures of the Sea– Marine Mammals and Sharks,” “Sea Turtle and Coastal Ecosystems,” and “Climate Change.”

CARIBSAVE (INSTASAVE Caribbean) is a regional nonprofit organization whose mission strives to address sustainable development and issues of climate change.

Dr Guy Harvey, patron of the program, is a Jamaican marine wildlife artist and conservationist whose illustrations of sea life have been depicted in prints, posters, and clothing worldwide.

“Guy Harvey is an acclaimed conservationist and a true son of the Caribbean,” Clarke said. “Having him onboard with this program really injects a degree of creativity and innovation the children are sure to be attracted to and they’ll certainly be kept engaged throughout its entirety.”