Announcing the 2021 SeaSmart Diversity Scholar!

Our Director of Education, Eva Pena, presents at the Alliance for NJ Environmental Education 

We love when PADI talks about us! 

Using Photojournalism for Ocean Conservation

Summer 2021 - Early Payment Discounts with Refunds Until 5/1 & COVID FAQs

Announcing SeaSmart's 2021 Female Diversity Scholar!

In an effort to do our part to address the underrepresentation of women and minorities in marine science studies, SeaSmart launched a female diversity scholarship, which awards funding to support participation in the SeaSmart Summer 2021 program.  We're thrilled to announce that, among the many smart and motivated young women that applied, Zenzile Skinner has been awarded the 2021 scholarship!

Zenzile is a 16 year old ocean lover and self-described environmentalist who has wanted to learn SCUBA since she was little.  She is passionate about the ocean, and wants to learn more about the importance of and ways to proteect it. Her teacher says "she is a student of high character and ethics," and is "always willing to help, is kind and personable, and very genuine." He is impressed with these attributes, even more than her excellent academics.  

We are thrilled to have "Zen" join us this July.  We thank all of our applicants who made it a real challenge for the board to select our recipient.

Our scholarship is donation based, and your support makes this possible.

Check out this article about SeaSmart’s Director of Education, Eva Pena’s, presentation on “Climate Science, Climate Change, Climate Education” at the Alliance for New Jersey Environmental Education. 

“For Evangelina Peña, teaching our middle schoolers about climate change has become a critical mission, and she has developed innovative ways to educate her students and make this crucial topic more assessable.”

Thank you for the endorsement, PADI! 

Ocean Conservation Photojournalist Shane Gross

Those of you that participated in our Summer Ocean Conservation Online Intensive in July may remember Leann Winn from Sharks4Kids, who taught us about shark research.  Sharks4Kids recently hosted Shane Gross, who has been utilizing his photojournalism for ocean conservation.  Shane is a Canadian marine conservation photojournalist who has spent the last decade in The Bahamas documenting the beauty and challenges the islands face. Shane's work has had success in many international photography competitions including the renowned Wildlife Photographer of the Year. His first book, Bahamas Underwater, is about to be published and will be donated to virtually every school in The Bahamas.

We had the benefit of hearing him speak last month, and wanted to be sure you had the same opportunity.  A link to the Sharks4Kids webinar is below. 

Summer 2021 Utila program is a-go!

With careful plans to address COVID considerations, SeaSmart has begun accepting deposits to reserve spots for our program in Utila in July.  There are still some spots available in each of the two weeks for Middle and High School students interested in ocean conservation, marine biology and learning to SCUBA. (If you are already SCUBA certified, we have diving for you, too!). We have an itinerary filled with dive training, lots of citizen science activities, including Coral Conservation, Fish ID, Whale Shark studies, and more! Families are welcome, based on availability. Don't miss the discount for paying in full by March 15th (fully refundable until May 1st!).

Here are some answers to recent questions we have received about COVID and the trip:

At our lodge, learning and SCUBA training location, which is a contained "campus," there is also a hyperbaric chamber and medical center.  The doctor there has plenty of COVID tests and for a $65 fee, will conduct the tests timed for our return to the US.  

The lodge and dive boat are following precautions, similar to what we are doing in the US:

• Hand sanitizer stations are provided throughout the facilities

• Everyone is required to wear a mask when inside shared facilities or on the boats - reusable masks are preferred

• Safe Distancing is practiced and expected

• Boat capacity has been reduced by 50% to allow extra space between divers

• Divers who plan to use rental equipment are welcome to do so, but will be required to bring or purchase their own mouth piece and snorkel (SeaSmart will provide this)

• Rental and personal equipment is disinfected after each use

• The lodge and dive school temperature-checks all staff twice daily, and they receive COVID tests every other week; they may ask to check guests' temperatures as well

• If there is a staff member or student that presents a fever, sore throat, coughing or any other signs or symptoms potentially indicative of Covid, this person must be sent to his/her room and Dr. Randy will be contacted for a proper medical evaluation, with patient isolating during evaluation.

There are "within 72 hour negative test (rapid or PCR) upon arrival" and online registration requirements to enter Honduras.  The most recent COVID case on Utila was in December 2020.  There have been no confirmed cases since.  

A $250 deposit will hold your spot for the July 10th and/or July 17th week, which is fully refundable before May 1st. Should you wish to take advantage of early full payment or group discounts, they are refundable until this date as well.  

More details and a video with highlights from the program can be found here:

Who Are The Dangerous Ones?

Sharks bite roughly 70 people each year worldwide, with perhaps 5-10 fatalities, according to data compiled in the International Shark Attack File (ISAF).  Although shark bites get a lot of attention, this is far less than the number of people injured each year by elephants, bees, crocodiles, lightning or many other natural dangers. On the other side of the ledger, we kill close to 100 million sharks every year through fishing activities. 

SeaSmart Swag:

Look Great & Help Fund The Diversity Scholarship 

Sweatshirts, tanks, and long & short sleeved T's are available in a variety of sizes and colors with a portion of the money going toward the Diversity Scholarship described above. Every ocean lover will want one!