Since 1969, Oceanic Society has pioneered nature-based tourism in pursuit of our mission to improve ocean health. We’ve had the privilege to help hundreds of thousands of people experience San Francisco Bay’s marine wildlife, and those powerful experiences have deepened people’s connections to the sea in profound ways. Yet we also recognize that such experiences are not readily available to everyone. Due to financial and cultural barriers, only a small percentage of the Bay Area’s 7+ million residents have ever enjoyed a first-hand experience at sea with the region’s famous marine mammals, seabirds, and other wildlife.
The demographics relating to outdoor activity participation among California’s youth are staggeringly disproportionate, with less than 5% of the region’s students ever having been on a boat. Of those who have, 72% are Caucasians, followed by Latinx at 11%, African Americans at 9%, Asian Americans at 6%, and mixed background at 2%. Additionally, San Francisco’s public school system shows some of California’s largest achievement gaps and a more pronounced failure to serve low-income Black and Latinx students. As a result, Bay Area students from low-income communities miss out on important educational and developmental experiences that all kids ought to have access to.
2021–2022 Program Results
Our Critters Scholars Program was created to help bridge this gap by providing free-of-charge educational boat cruises to underserved Bay Area student groups. Thanks to generous funding from SC Johnson, we were able to run 7 Critter Scholars Program trips during the 2021–22 school year. Additional support from Seabums Ocean Crew enabled us to lead an 8th trip in 2022.
We ran 8 Critter Scholars Program trips for 285 students and 46 teachers in 2021-2022. © Chris Biertuempfel
Collectively, we were able to connect nearly 300 Bay Area students to the ocean (most for the first time) through fully-subsidized educational wildlife tours. Our on-board curriculum, created by Oceanic Society staff in partnership with San Francisco Unified School District educators and Nature Bridge outdoor education specialists, is designed to combine culturally-relevant pedagogical practices with hands-on experiential learning specific to the San Francisco Bay and Pacific Ocean.
The program’s participants, called Critter Scholars, and their teachers joined Oceanic Society’s seasoned naturalists and outdoor educators aboard the 132-foot brigantine, Matthew Turner, an historic and sustainable wooden tall ship built and operated by the nonprofit, Call of the Sea. Aboard the vessel our naturalists entertain, inspire, educate and bridge classroom education to first-hand experiences, all while adhering to the California Department of Education’s requirements. As Critter Scholars experience the ocean, they learn about: marine science and conservation; the marine food web; the natural history of whales, birds and other wildlife; career paths in the environmental fields; and how to become ocean champions in their own communities.
For 89% of student participants, their Critter Scholars Program trip was their first time experiencing the ocean from a boat. © Chris Biertuempfel
Our Impact: By and Beyond the Numbers
In the 2021–22 school year, we ran 8 Critter Scholars Program trips for groups from 6 different Bay Area schools, with 285 students and 46 teachers participating. As a result of the experiences:
- 89% of the students experienced the ocean on a boat for the first time.
- 72% of students showed increased interest in environmental career paths and living a more environmentally friendly lifestyle.
- 84% of students reported that they want to learn more about marine life and marine science
- 93% of students who learned something new about the ocean and marine science
- 95% of students who would like to attend a similar trip in the future
- 100% of teachers reported high satisfaction with the program
Two of the many wonderful thank you letters we received from Critter Scholars in 2022.
Beyond the numbers, the feedback from students and their teachers was overwhelmingly positive and truly heartwarming. Here is just a small selection of feedback:
I never even been on a boat before. But now I get it, why people always looking happy on their boats. It’s cool out there, man. I wanna do it again.
– Critter Scholar (High school)
The best part of the trip? Umm, seeing plankton from Spongebob is real!! This is the most fun school’s been like ever.
– Critter Scholar (Elementary school)
Honestly, it was everything. I appreciated how organized it was, the knowledge the crew and tour guide shared with us, all of the things we got to learn about, it was just an overall great experience. My hope was to be able to have an experience that my students would never forget and to learn some unique skills and information while enjoying being out on the water. It is an experience that many of my kids haven’t had before and I’m glad they were able to have it with your organization.
– Critter Scholar Teacher
Thanks to our Sponsors
We are deeply grateful to SC Johnson and to Seabums Ocean Crew for their support of the Critter Scholars Program in 2021-2022.
We are actively seeking support to continue the Critter Scholars Program in 2023 and beyond. If you are interested in supporting this work, please reach out to us at donations@oceanicsociety.org
