Coral Reef Ed-venture schools San Pedro’s kids on conservation

The Hol Chan Coral Reef Ed-Ventures is a children’s educational summer program in collaboration with Smiths College from Massachusetts, USA and the Hol Chan Marine Reserve. The program teaches children about reef ecology and conservation. The project started some 12 years ago as a result of professors from Smiths College who had been working in Belize on the Barrier Reef conducting various researches working with Hol Chan.In an effort to give back to the community, two of the professors, through working with Mr. Miguel Alamilla from Hol Chan, developed the program. Some 12 years ago, the camp started with an enrolment of about two students. This year, there have already been approximately 100 students who have signed up.
This week a team of five students from Smiths College are on the island for a six weeks stay. The program serves as a summer internship for the participating students. Prior to arriving on the island, the students have a week of preparation and come here for six weeks, one of which is used for research on the reef along with their professors. As part of their research, the students get to enjoy our barrier reef eco-system through scuba diving as they research the various fish species and their occurrence.
The summer program is divided into two parts. The youth camp is for students ages 9 – 12 while the advanced camp is for students 13 and over. Activities are scheduled to commence on July 4th through July 16th with a graduation ceremony at the Central Park on Thursday July 14th. Permission slips may be obtained by visiting the San Pedro Town Library or the Hol Chan Marine Reserve office.

Study Tour of Belize

Press Release – San Pedro Town Council – May 31, 2011 – On Saturday 4th June a group of 12 emerging (future) leaders will arrive in Belize on AA 2103 to commence a Study Tour of Belize from June 4 – 8, 2011. The members of this group have been selected from several countries, including Canada, the Bahamas, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, and Trinidad & Tobago.

During their visit they will be travelling to the Hol Chan Marine Reserve, Xunantunich, Spanish Lookout, Marie Sharp Fine Foods, Citrus Products of Belize, Belize Natural Energy and Belize Sugar Industry; they will also be addressed by a representative of the Banana Industry. These visits will serve as an opportunity for dialogue and for participants to be exposed to the diverse challenges faced by leaders in Belize. They will report on their experience in plenary sessions in Barbados at the end of the conference.

This is part of a unique experience and initiative entitled the Caribbean-Canada Emerging Leaders’ Dialogue (CCELD) which brings together 120 future leaders from Canada, Bermuda, and the Caribbean to participate in a two week, leadership development conference from May 28 to June 11, 2011 under the Theme: “Growth Through Connection – Enabling Sustainable Progress”. The CCELD opened in Ottawa, Canada on May 28 where they participated in discussions on the challenges facing leaders and engaged in two days of presentations, discussion and networking.

While this group is visiting with us here in Belize, five (5) Belizeans will be participating in other Study Tours in various Caribbean territories. The countries involved in this initiative include the Bahamas, Barbados, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Guyana, and Trinidad & Tobago.

The Local Planning Committee takes this opportunity to thank all our sponsors/partners, without whose support the Belize Tour would not have been possible. These include: Social Security Board, Belize Electricity Limited, Belize Natural Energy Ltd., Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd., The Radisson Fort George Hotel & Marina, Belize Defense Force, Atlantic Bank, Mirage Belize, National Trade Union Congress of Belize (BNTU), Bowen & Bowen, Belize Telemedia Ltd., House of Culture, The Mayors of: Belize City, San Pedro, San Ignacio & Santa Elena, Dangriga, and Belmopan.

Special appreciation is also expressed to all the companies and enterprises that opened their facilities to host the group of emerging leaders during the Belize Tour.

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!

Another Lionfish Found

Yet another of the elusive, most wanted fish, the Lionfish, was found up north in three feet of water, on the beach at Xaman Ek Resort & Spa. Hol Chan Marine Reserve has it captive and intends to keep it in an aquarium so that locals can be educated on what it really looks like to avoid unnecessary capture and killing of similar-looking fish.