BZS Celebrates 10 Years Of ‘Kids On The Reef’
The Bermuda Zoological Society [BZS] Ocean Education programme celebrated 10 years of Kids on the Reef as a school-based programme this year.
A spokesperson said, “The goal of Kids on the Reef is to provide M2 students across the island with the opportunity to grow personally and to build their ocean stewardship through immersive two-day sessions.
“Students are tasked with questioning their comfort level in the water and how important the ocean is to them at the beginning of the programme.”
Dr Alex Amat, the BZS Ocean Educator, said, “For some of these kids, their personal challenge is to just get their head in the water. For others it may be going into water that they cannot stand in. Some of them are truly petrified to get in the water and of fish. The goal is that by the end of the second day for them to realize that they can do something that they could not do before.”
The students also spend time learning about how the ocean is also facing challenges.
Dr Alex added, “We spend time exploring challenges the ocean is facing. Students conduct their own research, then discuss and share. We focus on impacts for us here in Bermuda and solutions we, as M2s, can be part of. This year we’ve been especially dwelling on coral reef threats, climate change, ocean acidification and invasive species with the understanding that they are all connected.”
“The goal is that the more we understand about what is in our blue backyard and how it works, the more we will be “prone to act,” said Dr Alex.
Students are also led through a series of exercises, such as stretches and breathwork, to help prepare their bodies for the challenge of being in the water.
“We want to work on them being calm and combining stretches with the breathing you really realise that you can calm yourself down. The breathing exercises help with anxiety, help with nervousness and help with bringing oxygen to your muscles so you don’t cramp up, so it all goes together to warm up the body.”
On the first day of the two-day sessions, the students get comfortable with being in the water and using the snorkelling gear in shallow water at the beach on Trunk Island where they spend time exploring. On day two the goal is to reach the outer reefs, weather permitting, to dip their fins in deeper water and add a freediving dimension to the exploration.
Rylee Lightbourne, an M2 student from Dellwood said that at first she was anxious about taking part in the programme, saying, “Initially, I was thinking it was going to be a bad experience for me because I was not the biggest fan of [free diving in deep water] and being that close to large fish. Leaving home that first morning I was feeling very anxious and worried about what the day would hold.
“However, some of the things I enjoyed were the breathing exercises, [free]diving, learning more sustainable ways to keep Bermuda beautiful and getting over my fear of large fish. I really did not think that I would enjoy [free]diving with the weighted rope, but I ended up loving it. I almost reached the bottom. It was exhilarating!”
She added that anyone going into their first time should “expect to do things outside of their comfort zone and expect to grow and become more confident in the water.”
Mishael Paynter, an English teacher at Dellwood and student coordinator added, “The students are a mixed bag of feelings with some being excited and others a bit nervous and unsure. However, we witnessed students overcoming fears, connecting with different people in their year group and working together to share information and discuss topics that impact them.”
“I think what resonated most with the students was how various things they were learning about are interconnected.”
The spokesperson said, “The programme is generously sponsored by RenaissanceRe, with the donations helping toward resources needed to run the programme. At the end of the two days, each student is gifted a snorkel and mask, to continue their snorkelling journey.”
Jeff Manson, SVP, Head of Global Public Sector Partnership at RenaissanceRe, said, “RenaissanceRe is proud to sponsor the Kids on the Reef program. This initiative fosters a deeper connection with our marine environment and educates students on the importance of environmental stewardship. We look forward to seeing the positive impact the program will have on Bermuda’s students and ultimately hope that it inspires a lifelong commitment to sustainability.”
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