Empowering the Next Generation: The Youth Ocean Conservation Summit

The Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant organized the annual Youth Ocean Conservation Summit (YOCS) for students in grades 6-12 on Saturday, March 1, 2025, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Youth Ocean Conservation Summit equips middle and high school students across the country with the knowledge, skills, and resources needed to effectively carry out ocean conservation projects in their communities.

CEAR Hub participated as presenters at this year's summit and engaged with approximately 50 students. The students learned about the challenges of stormwater flooding in the Coastal Empire. After gaining insights into impervious surfaces, they engaged in hands-on activities to design and develop solutions to empower their community. By participating in a game called Beat the Uncertainty and using our interactive floodplain simulator, students left with a better understanding of the effects of stormwater flooding.

Students collectively working on their community using the floodplain simulator