Adam Steckley
4th Annual World Ocean Celebration
4th Annual World Ocean Celebration
Adam Steckley
Ocean Art Workshops
Ocean Art Workshops
Adam Steckley
Biscayne Immersion
Biscayne Immersion
Adam Steckley
That's A Wrap
That's A Wrap
Adam Steckley
Give Miami Day Appreciation
Give Miami Day Appreciation

Giving Bay Day

Day 1

The 12 Days of Biscayne Bay

Today is GivingTuesday and in partnership with the global movement, Blue Scholars Initiative has launched GIVING BAY DAY and "The 12 Days of Biscayne Bay" to express gratitude for Miami's crown jewel. Kicking things off from the middle of the bay, Operations Director, Adam Steckley, introduces the campaign and shares our first call to action.

is a global day to focus on generosity and community. Every act counts and everyone has something to give.

 

The 12 Days of Biscayne Bay runs through December 12th.

Tune into Blue Scholars social media today and every day to learn from local leaders what actions you can take to support Biscayne Bay and it's surrounding watershed. From being a more conscious consumer, to rewilding the landscape, to speaking out on important issues, we can all make an impact.

For those who donated to Blue Scholars during the recent Give Miami Day, we thank you for your support and invite you to forward this post to introduce our program and our mission to a friend or family member who is passionate about Biscayne Bay. We greatly appreciate your support to help us expand our reach.

If you were not able to donate but would like to, we are pleased to inform you that your donation will be doubled thanks to the generous Challenge Match provided by Blue Scholars supporters, Drew & Kara Moss. Every dollar raised up to $5,000 between now and December 12th will be doubled so give today!

Give Miami Day Success

Blue Scholars Initiative extends a sincere THANK YOU to our community of supporters who helped make our first Give Miami Day such a wonderful success. Thanks to your generous giving we surpassed our $5,000 match goal and received an additional match raising our grand total to $13,200.

  • $5,000 Challenge Match provided by Cole, Scott & Kissane, P.A.

  • $1,157 Donated during the Power Hour and eligible for bonus dollars.

  • $6,600 Raised thanks to the generous support of individual donors.

  • $1,600 Provided by Sanvall Enterprises to match additional dollars raised above our $10,000 goal.

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$13,200

TOTAL RAISED

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36

UNIQUE DONORS

Navigating Current Challenges

Photo: Tanya Manfrediz

Photo: Tanya Manfrediz

One of the biggest advantages to outdoor environmental and science education is the activation of the five senses in the learning process. They are sight, hearing, smell, touch and taste, the primary means we use to gain new knowledge. And we rarely experience with one sense alone. It is only when our senses work together that they give us a complete picture of an experience.

Connecting our students to Biscayne Bay through a virtual classroom is, as you can imagine, challenging, especially if they’ve not previously seen or experienced the bay up close. But they have all been outdoors in nature and so, as we begin our virtual presentation, we take a moment to close our eyes and remember a particular experience somewhere in nature - on a beach, in the Glades, wherever. Guided through multi-sensory visualization, we connect, or rather re-connect our students to a natural mindset outside the classroom, far from the digital screen we rely on to "transport" them to Biscayne Bay. It is here that the learning experience begins.

Nonprofit organizations, including Blue Scholars Initiative, are challenged more than ever during this global pandemic and economic crisis. Without these programs, the greater loss is suffered by the youth who miss out on the experience and the unique learning opportunity. Thankfully, YOU can help!

Baby Blue Scholar

Elias Max Friedwald

Elias Max Friedwald

Sending a heartfelt congratulations to Blue Scholars Initiative's very own, Meredith Bass, and her husband, Danny, for the birth of their son, Elias Max. We're super excited about our new team member and wish the Bass-Friedwald's all the best in this next family adventure.

Word of Meredith's maternity leave spread to our scheduled classes and the day after Elias's birth, at the end of our Blue Scholars virtual program, Beatriz Flachner's 4th graders from Leewood K-8 Center held up signs that together read "We Love Baby Blue". It was awesome!

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THANK YOU for our thoughtfulness!

Matheson Hammock Park Revisited - ICC 2020

CLEANUP III

Matheson Hammock Park

Our third and final International Coastal Cleanup was a big success. On October 31st, we returned to Matheson Hammock Park six weeks after our first cleanup and two King Tide events. As if Halloween wasn't already scary enough, volunteers collected more than 1,000 pieces of new trash. Sorting it afterwards was an impactful and eye-opening experience as highlighted by participants Emily, Sofia, Isabella and Quinn (above).

Citizen Science helps pass laws

Impactful experience

Sorting debris makes impression

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Blue Scholars Initiative thanks the many volunteers who helped make our 2020 International Coastal Cleanup “season” such a huge success. Together we removed over 420 pounds of debris from our local waterways and coastline. Your efforts are greatly appreciated!

Chapman Field Waterway - ICC 2020

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CLEANUP II

Chapman Field Park Waterway

Paddling with a purpose was our theme yesterday morning for Blue Scholars Initiative’s second International Coastal Cleanup at Chapman Field Park. One definite thing that all of our participants noticed was the tremendous amount of plastic collected. There were numerous items ranging from single-use plastic bottles and bags, to milk crates, tires and traps.

Paddle partners, Brock and Noah, shared their thoughts about two of their interesting finds and how these items impact our health, water and marine life.

Harmful to our health

Plastic pollutes the water

Not only did we sort and weigh the debris (67.5 pounds total - 12.5 lbs of recyclables, 55 lbs of non-recyclables) but we talked about how we can affect change in our community. Our upcoming election is definitely something where we can all take part.

VOTE for the Planet! International Coastal Cleanup 2020 participant, JoAnn, shares her thoughts with Blue Scholars Initiative.

During our paddle, at the point where the channel opens to the bay, we discovered a large derelict fishing net entangled in the prop roots of the mangroves. It was obvious it had been there for quite a while. With significant effort and yes, a few cuts and abrasions, we were able to free the roots from the net but due to its cumbersome size, could not make the return paddle to haul it out. 

The following day, however, cleanup participant Thad Foote and his Portuguese Water Dog, Wilson, returned by boat to retrieve the net, estimating its weight at approximately 250lbs. From the boat, to the truck, to the dumpster, the cleanup is now complete.

1% for the Planet

We’re proud to announce the recent approval of Blue Scholars Initiative as a Nonprofit Partner of 1% FOR THE PLANET.

 

ABOUT

1% for the Planet is a global organization that connects dollars and doers to accelerate smart environmental giving. They recognize that the current level of environmental giving - only 3% of total philanthropy - is not enough to solve the most pressing issues facing our planet.

Through their business and individual memberships, 1% for the Planet inspires people to support environmental organizations through annual membership and everyday actions. They advise on giving strategies, they certify donations, and they amplify the impact of their network.

Started in 2002 by Yvon Chouinard, founder of Patagonia, and Craig Mathews, founder of Blue Ribbon Flies, their members have given more than $200 million to environmental nonprofits to date. Today, 1% for the Planet is a network of more than 1,800 member businesses, a new and expanding core with hundreds of individual members, and thousands of nonprofit partners in more than 60 countries.

PROGRAM DETAILS

When individuals and businesses join 1% for the Planet, they make a commitment to give back to approved environmentally-focused organizations like Blue Scholars Initiative. Direct giving helps put dollars in the hands of doers quickly and efficiently with 1% for the Planet providing the expert guidance necessary to ensure it’s the smartest donation possible.

 

Matheson Hammock Park - ICC 2020

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“Working with youth in programs like this is what the Blue Scholars educational platform is all about.”
— Meredith Bass, Program Director
 

CLEANUP I

Matheson Hammock Park

A small group of dedicated volunteers joined Blue Scholars Initiative in the International Coastal Cleanup at Matheson Hammock Park last Saturday for the first of three cleanups. COVID-19 restrictions limited our numbers but our cleaning power was in full force. Fighting the heat and incessant mosquitos, we collected 77 pounds of debris (47 lbs of recyclables, 30 lbs of non-recyclables) and logged each item into the Ocean Conservancy’s Clean Swell App to tally our total for the day.

Looking at all of this trash, the message was very clear to these students.

Consider your impact

Education is power

Spaceship Earth

“Many astronauts have said that when they look back at earth from the International Space Station, they realize how much they miss the simplest things - a ray of sunshine on their face, a swim in the ocean, wind in their hair - all which we can experience in our bay,” says Valeria Rodriguez, Science Teacher at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Day School. She is also a member of the Blue Scholars Initiative Steering Committee and has been an integral part of our strategic planning process over the last year. An astronaut at heart, Rodriguez views Earth as a spaceship, providing a critical life support system for its crew and, in turn, relying on the crew members to maintain their one and only Spaceship Earth. She used this invaluable perspective to begin this new school year with her students and, in the process, conduct an impactful Community Service Project (CSP).

In the weeks leading up to the start of school, Biscayne Bay experienced a devastating fish kill and algae bloom. Witnessing the catastrophe first-hand, Rodriguez decided to task her students with a letter writing assignment to address the issues and speak to the protection of the bay. In preparation for their first week of class, Blue Scholars and Rodriguez captured footage from the shores of Legion Park and spoke to Theo Quenee, of SENDIT4THESEA, to inform them about the issues and share tips to communicate their concerns. “For the youth, it’s important for them to express their concern for the future,” said Quenee. “You guys have a lot of power in your hands.”

Individually, her students mobilized, researched and wrote their letters to government officials, including the City of Miami Mayor, Francis Suarez. Working from a suggestion of Blue Scholars Initiative, some presented their letters through video. Altogether their hard work and powerful voices were sent off to city, county and state elected officials letting them know what really matters to these students.

Armed with a classroom full of new knowledge and instilled passion, Rodriguez then invited Mayor Suarez to join her students via Zoom to further discuss the issues. Their 25-minute virtual class is condensed here into just over three. Check it out!

Blue Scholars Initiative is incredibly proud of these young changemakers. Spaceship Earth continues its journey under the leadership of Captain Rodriguez and her skilled crew. We are all grateful.

Thank You, TUUCI!

There’s no replacing the real thing but as Blue Scholars transitions from a hands-on experiential program to the virtual classroom, we’ve worked to capture exciting video content of our curriculum so we may continue to engage our students about the wonders and beauty of South Florida’s marine ecosystem. Filming from the ground level we can get face to face with our subject and share specific details up close. Without the critical hands-on component to enhance the sensory learning, however, we felt we needed something more, and thanks to our friends at TUUCI we got just that.

Their recent donation of a DJI Inspire 1 drone allows Blue Scholars to now take flight and soar with the sea birds to get an aerial perspective of Biscayne Bay and beyond. Perspective is everything, and what better way to experience and understand the interconnectedness of not only the natural world but also the built environment around it. We’re grateful for this generous gift and TUUCI’s continued support, and we’re super excited to capture more thrilling views from above to enrich the virtual experience for our Blue Scholars.

Day 1 of filming at Carysfort Reef Lighthouse.