250 Students Visit BUEI For World Oceans Day

June 15, 2023 | 0 Comments

The Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute [BUEI] Education Team organized a guided tour through the Ocean Discovery Centre at BUEI for schools in order to “explore the World Oceans Day theme for this year: ‘Planet Ocean: Tides are Changing.’

A spokesperson said, “Over 250 students and educators from various local schools visited BUEI on June 8th and 9th to celebrate World Oceans Day. Participating schools included Victor Scott Primary, Bermuda High School, Paget Primary, West End Primary, Bermuda Homeschool Network, Harrington Sound Primary, Somerset Primary, Purvis Primary, Warwick Academy, West Pembroke Primary, Prospect Preschool, and Francis Patton Primary.

“The students and educators began their World Oceans Day experience in the Bermuda Revealed exhibit, learning about Bermuda’s geological history and the impact of coral reef systems on the island’s unique structure. They were then guided through the Seagrass Restoration Project exhibit, which highlighted the essential role of seagrass meadows in maintaining a healthy marine ecosystem and the challenges posed by green turtle grazing.

“Hands-on activities included the Shell Gallery & Ocean Acidification Experience in the Jack Lightbourne exhibit, featuring one of the world’s largest private shell collections, and a bioluminescent creature hunt using ultraviolet flashlights in the Deep Gallery to create a glow-in-the-dark display.

“Some schools had the opportunity to attend a special presentation by the Nonsuch Expeditions team on the “Message in a Bottle” project, which tracked the movement of seafaring debris using GPS technology. Students participated in a plastic tracking investigation in the Living with the Oceans exhibit, examining fish and lobster pot tags from the northeastern seaboard and tracing their path on the North Atlantic gyre before reaching Bermuda’s beaches.

“Within the Living with the Oceans exhibit, Youth Climate Summit participants raised awareness about the importance of coral reefs as natural offshore barriers protecting the island’s shoreline from erosion and property damage. The exhibit featured upcycled art, utilizing materials such as bottle caps, pool noodles, bottles, and straws, providing a valuable lesson on reducing plastic waste.

“Each tour concluded with an Eco-Schools Showcase, where visiting students celebrated the sustainable work carried out by their student-led Eco-Clubs at their respective schools. BUEI serves as the national operator of the Eco-Schools programme in Bermuda, one of 73 countries promoting this action-based sustainable schools programme.

“This year, 18 schools from across the island were recognized for their sustainability projects, ranging from school gardens to waste and litter minimization.

“Visit here to discover how you get involved in BUEI’s World Oceans Day celebrations.”