The SeaVibe Science & Art Enrichment Program is a new experiential education opportunity that opens classroom doors to community projects and art exhibits that communicate healthy water solutions. This program is designed to engage everyone – students, families, home schools, community members, businesses, and others – to increase our understanding of community water issues and drive collective improvements from the mountains to the sea.

The Program offers an interdisciplinary approach to education that communicates scientific topics through the arts. Participants conduct scientific water quality monitoring in their communities that incorporates science, math, physics, ecology, social studies, and language arts. They create art exhibits like murals, photography, and music to translate scientific findings for public understanding, highlight connections between a healthy environment and a productive economy, and offer solutions that lead to positive improvements.

The Program meets state and national academic standards with an emphasis on academic mentoring and volunteering as stepping stones to career opportunities and leadership roles. Connecting people to real-life projects creates a sense of belonging to their community, a better understanding of each other and nature’s true value, and a stronger desire to act responsibly to protect nature’s gifts for this and future generations.

Why is this important? Over 80% of the world’s population live along coastal areas. Waterways provide food, air, recreation, transportation, and many other economic and ecological benefits. Students today lack practical, hands-on training and skills to improve water issues. This Program educates students about the importance of a healthy watershed, the global impacts of local water issues, and how making smart choices on land can improve the health of our waterways and all of life that depends on it.

Want to get involved? Contact Michelle Crawford at SeavibeEducation@gmail.com or visit www.SeaVibe.org for the course outline and a downloadable flyer. To register, click here. Or simply sign up to follow this blog!

Although this is a pilot project being offered in Athens, Alabama, the program can be scaled up to include communities anywhere in the world. Please spread the word! Everyone is welcome!

The SeaVibe group visiting and water testing at the latest addition to Jamaica’s National Marine Sanctuary system.  This sanctuary includes sandy beach and sea floor, coral reef, and mangrove habitats.  Fishing is not permitted within the sanctuary boundaries, and this protection allows these three vital habitats to function as the natural “nurseries” that they are for a wide variety of marine life.  Local fisherman are already seeing the benefits of protecting some of these critical habitats.  Larger fish and more fish in general are being caught as a result of what’s called spillover in the waters surrounding the sanctuary.   Three types of sea turtles are making a significant comeback as a result of this protected area and sanctuary patrol staff oversight.  Some of the fresh water near the sea gets its reddish brown color from the red mangroves.  

 The goal is to create a series or string of marine protected areas around the island, much like a necklace, that will enhance and ensure future productivity in the surrounding waters.          

Sea Turtle Monitoring: http://vimeo.com/45041497
Sea Turtle Monitoring in Billy’s Bay, Treasure Beach, Jamaica from Jacqueline Suzanne Rose.

Traveling to Jamaica:
Day 1 Treasure Beach from Jacqueline Suzanne Rose.

Water Testing Stop Motion Film by Stephanie Medina, founding SeaVibe Club member at Olympic High
http://vimeo.com/36318484

We left Friday at 6AM to hike to the natural freshwater springs in Great Bay, a fishing villiage in the Treasure Beach area. Our guides, Shaka and Gishard, led us over tall sand hills, where biting red ants sped us up…around thorny twists and turns…under the hot sun…into a cool, underground cave where the water sprang from the earth and the rock above provided shade. We tested the water quality at 3 springs and really appreciated the privilige we enjoy to drink clean water anytime we want it. We were so hot from the hike, we ran straight into the ocean to cool down on our way home. I forgot my phone in my pocket and it no longer works. Anyone trying to reach us can now call 1-876-855-0974.  

The SeaVibe Club traveled 2 hours north to YS Falls to test the water quality from the top of the Black River Watershed. This water flows down through the Black River that enters the Caribbean Sea just west of Treasure Beach.

We’ve had such great experiences so far! A highlight has been Day 3 Save the Turtles. Internet service has not been our friend on this trip so we’ll be updating photos as often as we can. Yesterday,we had an amazing day of waterfalls and a beautiful road trip. Today we are meeting our Treasure Beach friends to paint the mural at the primary school, meeting with BREDS an environmental activist organization local to Treasure Beach, and more water testing on natural springs. Here is a taste of more great photos and videos….