Coral Reef Ed-Ventures is Returning to San Pedro

The Coral Reef Ed-Ventures is returning to San Pedro for its 12th terrific year of coral reef programs!

Smith College – Hol Chan Coral Reef Ed-Ventures is an educational summer program that teaches children about reef ecology and conservation. In 2000, three professors from Smith College, USA, Al Curran, Paulette Peckol, and Susan Etheredge collaborated with the managers of Hol Chan Marine Reserve, especially Miguel Alamilla, to create a program that provides a way for Smith students to give back to the community of San Pedro while supporting its beautiful resource of the coral reef. The goal of the program for the past ten years has been to foster collaboration between Smith students and the residents of San Pedro to promote an understanding about the environmental and economic benefits of a healthy reef ecosystem nearby, in the hopes of increasing the conservation of this remarkable resource.

This program has two programs for children who are interested in learning more about the coral reef. There is an advanced program for children ages 12 and over, who will create, with the Smith student teachers, a coral reef conservation project. For the past two years the group has published a magazine focusing on the Meso-American Barrier Reef nearby and its links to the community. The magazine printing was generously supported by community donations and was distributed free of charge throughout San Pedro. We will start on Thursday, June 23rd and ends on Friday, July 1st. The program runs from 4 to 6pm (Location TBA).

For children ages 7 to 11, there is a youth program that lasts for two weeks. It runs from Monday, July 4th to Thursday, July 14th. The children participate in many hands-on activities that emphasize the care and preservation of the reef. The program runs from 9:00 to 11:45 am at the RC School.

Interested students should pick up permission slips at the library (across from the RC School) or at the Hol Chan Office and bring it to the first day of the program. We hope you will join us on our coral reef adventure!!

Before the program officially gets underway, there will be two movie nights with popcorn and juice for anyone in the community who is interested. Be on the lookout for dates and times!

San Pedro through the eyes of our children

Hol Chan Coral Reef Ed-Ventures is an educational summer program that teaches children about reef ecology and conservation. For the past few weeks the Coral Reef Ed-Ventures have been hosting students of San Pedro in a Reef Conservation Program. Students have been actively participating in a Photo Journalism project which encourages them to take photos of their environment in which they live and what meaning each photo holds for each of them.

The general public was invited to the Central Park on Friday July 9th, 2010, to enjoy the students' foray into photojournalism.

Sandcastle Building with Coral Reef Ed-Ventures

Students from Smith College, USA have returned to the island for the 11th year of Coral Reef Ed-Ventures. In collaboration with Hol Chan Marine Reserve, the Reef Ed-Ventures program is an educational summer program that teaches children about reef ecology and conservation.

Today, during the day festivities of the annual San Pedro Lobsterfest, the college students held a sand castle building completion on the beach. Several groups of children participated, creating masterpieces ranging from mermaids, boats catching sharks and classic sand castle designs. Everyone team was a winner with the top team winning fabulous water toys as their prize.

For more information about Coral Reef Ed-Ventures please contact the Hol Chan Marine Reserve office in San Pedro.

The Coral Reef Ed-Ventures returned to San Pedro for its 11th great year of coral reef programs

Press Release – Coral Reef Ed-Ventures (Smith College) – June 15th, 2010 – Hol Chan Coral Reef Ed-Ventures is an educational summer program that teaches children about reef ecology and conservation. In 2000, three professors from Smith College, USA, Al Curran, Paulette Peckol, and Susan Etheredge collaborated with the managers of Hol Chan Marine Reserve, especially Miguel Alamilla, to create a program that provides a way for Smith students to give back to the community of San Pedro while supporting its beautiful resource of the coral reef. The goal of the program for the past ten years has been to foster collaboration between Smith students and the residents of San Pedro to promote an understanding about the environmental and economic benefits of a healthy reef ecosystem nearby, in the hopes of increasing the conservation of this remarkable resource.

This program has two programs for children who are interested in learning more about the coral reef. There is an advanced program for children ages 12 and over, who will create, with the Smith student teachers, a coral reef conservation project. For the past two years the group has published a magazine focusing on the Meso-American Barrier Reef nearby and its links to the community.

The magazine printing was generously supported by community donations and was distributed free of charge throughout San Pedro. This program starts on Thursday, June 24th and ends on Friday July 2nd. The program runs from 4 to 6pm (Location TBA). For children ages 7 to 11, there is a youth program that lasts for two weeks. It runs from Monday, July 5th to Friday, July 16th. The children participate in many hands-on activities that emphasize the care and preservation of the reef. The program runs from 9:00 to 11:45 am at the RC School. Interested students should pick up permission slips at the library (across from the San Pedro R.C. School) or at the Hol Chan Office and bring it to the first day of the program. We hope you will join us on our coral reef adventure!! Before the program officially gets underway, there will be two movie nights with popcorn and juice for anyone in the community who is interested. Be on the lookout for dates and times!