County Supervisor Pam Slater-Price recently awarded Aquatic Adventures of San Diego a $14,000 community projects grant in an effort to improve stewardship and youth education.
“I’m glad that the County of San Diego is able to award such a grant. We have managed our resources well to have this money to invest in the community so that we can benefit a wide variety of activities: arts, education and environmental activities,” Slater-Price said. “The noblest thing a government can do is to help citizens improve their lives and the quality of their lives.”
The county usually receives two to three times more applications for grants than funding is available. Potential winners must meet certain requirements that include their ability to serve the community and proof that their organization is sustainable.
“Aquatic Adventures was able to meet our criteria and is a nonprofit organization that is able to reach a lot of people,” Slater-Price added. “Its program is focused on swimming and aquatic adventures; it teaches children the impact they will have on the sea and allows them to be mindful to the fact that their actions on land can have a negative impact on the ocean. Consequently, they will grow up more cautious and environmentally friendly.”
The organization will use the grant to purchase aquarium equipment and supplies for its new facility.
Located at 2211 Pacific Beach Drive inside Campland on the Bay, Aquatic Adventures is a nonprofit organization that provides hands- on programs to children that promote access as well as excitement to the sciences and exposure to marine habitats. These programs target undeserved youth, hoping to further connect them to the world of marine science.
In 2005, Aquatic Adventures introduced about 5,700 students to the marine environment, providing more than 60,000 hours of education. The organization was honored by SeaWorld and Busch Gardens, and received the Fujifilm Environmental Excellence award.
This award-winning organization aims to bridge the gaps in the traditional educational system, which may not be evident until high school or college. In particular, minority, underprivileged female youths often react to science with a sense of disinterest and a belief that it is well beyond their reach. Consequently, many of them fail to grab the opportunities that are open in that field. Aquatic Adventures works as a bridge, leading young people to their full potential.
Aquatic Adventures has a variety of programs available for students of all ages. For example, its Aquatic Adventures Marine Science/Sports Camp provides weeklong summer activities for kids ranging in ages 6 to 16. In this program, high school students are given an opportunity to acquire scuba certifications and explore possible careers in technology and in the sciences.
SEA Semester is an after-school mentorship program for at-risk youth. The program provides a positive environment, ensuring kids a possibility of a stronger future.
Lastly, the SEA Series provides schools with programs facilitating hands-on learning activities in and out of the classroom. As part of the program, teachers are also given a curriculum that coincides with Aquatic Adventures’ activities and agenda.
The programs offer a unique educational environment that assist in developing reading, deductive and interpretive skills. While attending programs, students often create bonds that outweigh their cultural, economic and age differences. Participants will leave the program with a better appreciation for science; a stronger foundation for high school, college and a career; and an experience that will open their minds to the possibilities and opportunities that exist within that particular area of study.
The Aquatic Adventures Student Education Foundation has a growing partnership with many organizations within the San Diego community. The foundation works closely with the Boys and Girls Club, Project Pacific, University of San Diego, and the San Diego City Schools. Aquatic Adventures works closely with these groups to further feed the scientific and environmental interests of the community.