To foster greater understanding of the marine world, SeaWorld San Diego is inviting third- and fourth-grade students in Southern California elementary schools to participate in its Sea Turtle Essay Contest. The essay must convey the importance of sea turtles both in their habitat and to humans, and ways that students can help save sea turtles. SeaWorld San Diego will open Turtle Reef this summer. The new attraction will highlight up to 60 threatened or endangered sea turtles and will illustrate how trash and pollution can affect the species. Students and guests will be able to track sea turtles in the wild as part of the attraction’s Turtlelink interactive touch-screen map. Each class can submit an essay, which will be judged on content, accuracy, originality and enthusiasm. The winning classroom will receive a VIP student experience at SeaWorld San Diego and other prizes. The VIP experience will include a behind-the-scenes look at the park’s animal-care area and the animal rescue program. Runner-up classrooms will receive a SeaWorld educational assembly at their school. The essay contest began March 22 and runs through May 3. All entries must be postmarked by May 3. For more details, visit www.seaworldturtleessay.com.