NEWS RELEASE
Outdoor Outreach and the San Diego Oceans Foundation Collaborate to Bring Marine Education to At-Risk Youth
SAN DIEGO, Calif., December 10, 2003 Outdoor Outreach, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing high-quality outdoor programs for at-risk youth, today announced that they have entered into a partnership with the San Diego Oceans Foundation to bring marine education to at-risk youth.
The partnership of the two San Diego based non-profit organizations resulted in the creation of "Ocean in Motion", a traveling marine science program. The program is available to all schools and youth organizations in San Diego, but it has a special focus on inner-city schools. The program is designed to reach 3,000 youth annually.
Ocean in Motion is a three-day program with five different ocean presentations for educators to choose from. The ocean presentations available are "Majestic Tide Pools", "Exploring the Kelp Forest", "Marine Mammals", "Adaptations of Marine Life", and "Sharks in the Wild". Each presentation begins with an interactive show that is followed by a hands-on learning segment and then ends with an overview of key concepts.
"Outdoor Outreach sought out this partnership in order to add a comprehensive marine education component to our line-up of quality outdoor programs," said Chris Rutgers, executive director for Outdoor Outreach. "The Outdoor Outreach Surfing Program is often the first exposure to the ocean for our young participants. It tends to get them very excited and curious about the marine environment, so this was a natural addition for us."
The Ocean in Motion program was developed in accordance with the California Science Content Standards and emphasizes reading skills, mathematics, creativity, and reasoning skills. It was designed to inspire youth to become environmental stewards through a science-based curriculum and to provide them with an opportunity to gain confidence and self-esteem through participation in outdoor activities.
"It's the perfect program to engage and educate the children about the ocean ecosystem," said Fred West, president of the San Diego Oceans Foundation. "The kids have a great time and they learn how to make educated decisions about how to protect San Diego's marine ecosystems."
Outdoor Outreach and the San Diego Oceans Foundation are currently soliciting grants in order to cover the general operating costs of the Ocean in Motion program. To learn more about the Ocean in Motion program or about corporate giving opportunities, please contact Chris Rutgers at (619) 238-5970 or Noelle Barger at (619) 523-1903.
Outdoor Outreach is a California Non-Profit Organization committed to providing an opportunity for all children to gain confidence and self-esteem through participation in outdoor activities. This organization is founded on the belief that offering young people a chance to enjoy responsible recreation in the outdoors brings them experiences that will make positive, lasting changes in their lives. Outdoor Outreach welcomes all children, but is especially committed to providing intensive outdoor experiences to at-risk and underprivileged youth. We work together with a wide variety of programs in an effort to reach the at-risk/low income youth population of San Diego County. Program Partners include drug rehabilitation programs, inner-city boys and girls clubs, inner-city public schools, residential boys homes, and several programs within the juvenile justice system. Since it's founding in 2001, Outdoor Outreach has taken over 850 kids on over 275 trips averaging 60-70 kids per month.
About the San Diego Oceans Foundation (www.sdoceans.org)
The San Diego Oceans Foundation is a 19 year old, non-profit organization devoted to the stewardship of the region's marine waters and their living resources. The Foundation conducts various projects with volunteers and balances ocean user needs with environmental protection. The primary programs revolve around fisheries restoration, water quality, marine science education, habitat enhancement and underwater research for the benefit of users of the ocean, San Diego's finest resource. The mission of the San Diego Oceans Foundation is to promote ocean stewardship by leading community-supported projects that enhance ocean habitat and encourage sustainable use of ocean resources.
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