Multicultural Education for Resource Issues Theatening Oceans

In 2023, MERITO accomplished the following exempt purpose achievements:Immersive environmental education for economically under-privileged youth: The MERITO Foundation engaged 4,000 Ventura County 4th-12th grade students through our ocean, climate and environmental science programs Ventura-River Action Network (V-RAN), Avenue to the Channel Islands (ATCI), and Youth Education & Engagement for the City of Oxnards Beautification Project. Topics covered included climate, energy, ocean, and environmental science, presented through varied methods.Youth & Community Participation in Community Science: In 2023, 716 students participated in citizen science projects centered around the Ventura River Watershed. The students participated in monitoring the Ventura River Watershed by applying their knowledge to fieldwork, data collection and scientific investigation. Student groups conducted tests for water quality, macro-invertebrate monitoring, marine debris collection and categorization, micro-plastic monitoring, and bird identification. The data collected is used to inform about the health of the Ventura River Watershed before and after the removal of the Matilja Dam. Additionally, MERITO received a $15,000 grant from Patagonia, to host a monthly beach clean up using NOAA Marine debris beach clean-up protocols. Collected trash is identified, categorized, and recorded, providing a valuable opportunity to engage the community in citizen science while bettering the health and cleanliness of local beaches.Outdoor Recreation in natural areas for economically underprivileged youth: The ATCI program offered numerous outdoor recreation opportunities to all 586 students from De Anza Middle School of Technology and the Arts, located in a disadvantaged Ventura community. De Anza Middle School students participated in diverse outdoor activities tailored to their grade levels, including bike rides, surfing, exploring the rocky inter-tidal zone, sailing aboard the Mystic Whaler 110' schooner, and a 2 night, 3 day camping expedition on Santa Cruz Island, one of the Channel Islands, all while combining these experiences with environmental education.Youth Education & Engagement in Community Park Rehabilitation: the MERITO Foundation engaged over 900 students from twelve (12) Title I schools in the Cities of Oxnard, Port Hueneme, and El Rio in the Oxnard Beautification Project (OBP). This project involved the youth in rehabilitating and revitalizing eleven (11) community parks in the City of Oxnard to mitigate urban runoff and reduce urban island effect at the City of Oxnard. The students performed park assessments of their designated community park, where they mapped out the park, observed and recorded wildlife, and sorted the types of trash present at their park. Through the support of the MERITO Academy, the OBP provided in-class lessons and activities that equipped the students with the ocean environmental education necessary to make well-informed decisions as the students selected native plants to be planted at the parks to increase climate resilience, pollinator abundance, and overall health of the parks. Their teachers were not left behind as two (2) educator professional development trainings were provided, including one at Santa Cruz Island! Educator's Capacity Building: Through in-person, on-line, and field sessions, MERITO provided 190 formal and informal educators with resources such as curricula, training in storytelling for impact, and practices in environmental data collection to bring the ocean to their classrooms. Two professional development workshops were held aboard the NOAA Research Vessel the Shearwater, and at Santa Cruz Island for educators from our three programs, OBP, V-RAN, & ATCI, and as a contract for Ventura County Office of Educations (VCOE), we trained after-school program instructors of VCOEs STEAM Hub Region 8 that includes after-school educators from San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura, and Kern Counties. Also aboard the research vessel, and at Santa Cruz Island, the educators took part in water quality testing, plankton tow and identification, and even tried their hand at operating an ROV through Santa Cruz Islands seagrass meadows. At Santa Cruz Island, the educators did an interpretive hike and snorkeled in the islands lush kelp forest.Greening schools and homes EECCOA Challenge: 350 Students from the Ventura Unified School District actively participated in the 8th annual EECCOA challenge, dedicated to Energy Efficiency for Mitigating Climate Change and Ocean Acidification. Open to students from grades 7 to 12, the competition featured four categories: Energy Efficiency, Water Conservation, Waste Reduction, and an outreach campaign to remove the Matilija Dam. Among the 84 submissions, 16 teams comprising 48 students, were selected to present their projects before a panel of STEM, business, and education professionals serving as judges. The judges assessed and ranked the proposals focusing on their adherence to basic criteria and cost-effectiveness in reducing their respective schools' environmental footprints in waste, water, or energy. The top 16 student teams from Ventura Unified School District received in-kind and cash prizes totaling $4,650, recognizing their exceptional ideas and projects aimed at reducing carbon footprints, addressing climate change, and enhancing overall school well-being.Building Ocean Stewardship: Through MERITO's ATCI program, 30 sixth-grade students from De Anza Middle School participated in an on-campus composting and gardening club, gaining knowledge about native plants and sustainable gardening practices. This initiative serves as a source of inspiration, cultivating students' interest in environmental stewardship. In addition, the MERITO Foundation organized a special field trip for over seventy students from Driffill Elementary in the OBP Program. Students toured the Hokule?a, a traditional Polynesian voyaging canoe, at the Ventura Harbor. The experience included lessons on traditional Polynesian voyaging, plankton, rope-tying, and celestial navigation, contributing to the students' broader understanding of environmental awareness and care.Youth Environmental and Outdoor Leadership: Through our ATCI program, the MERITO Foundation continues its commitment to empower youth in leadership and career pathways by establishing elected Outdoor Recreation and Environmental Stewards (OES). In 2013, the ATCI program selected 17 students to be trained on outdoor and environmental leadership. These students committed to completing 50 hours of community service, participating in job shadowing with environmental professionals, and supporting the MERITO Foundation in leading field experiences and outreach events. In August, the new cohort of 8 students attended a 3-day/2-night Outdoor Youth Leadership (OYC) Training at Castaic Lake, led by the California State Parks Office of Community Involvement. During the training, stewards were equipped with outdoor camping skills, including tent setup, team-based cooking and cleaning, and safe handling of propane tanks. The trip also introduced students to essential leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills through interactive activities and team exercises.