Photo: Kids Ocean Day / Impremedia
Amarjeet González said that in the 2019 she signed up as a student chaperone volunteer to accompany her daughter, who I was then in third grade, on a field trip to Dockweiler Beach. What this mother did not expect is that the trip would be the beginning for her and her family to become defenders of the environment.
“On the excursion I I just thought it was my daughter’s group that was going to clean up the beach. I did not imagine that there were many schools and each one had an area to clean, ”González recalled. “While the children cleaned, they explained the importance of keeping the streets and beaches clean.”
The mother of the family said that since then her daughter, Arleene González, who is now in the fifth grade of primary school, has been a protector of the environment. His passion is so much that he is even teaching his 6-year-old brother to respect his environment.
“He likes whales a lot and she teaches him documentaries of the ocean, he is also very aware of the garbage and when he throws the plastic he cuts it because he has the imagination that some fish can hang himself, ”said González.
last year the excursion was canceled due to the covid pandemic – 19, but this did not prevent the family take the initiative to go clean the beach.
“We invite cousins and now we go at least three times a year,” he said.
Virtual program
This year the annual program returns Kids Ocean Day 2021 , however it has changed its presentation to be virtual because many security protocols are still in place to prevent the spread of virus.
Arleene will participate as an interviewee on the program due to her experience as an environmental advocate.
Aura García, vice president of public works for the city of Los Angeles, said that Kids Ocean Day is in charge of teaching third grade children mainly the importance of being good protectors of the ocean and the environment.
“This program the city provides to children who are in elementary school to teach them at an early age how to take care of life in the ocean and it all begins in the streets, in the home, when one throws some garbage that reaches the ocean at nces education is important ”, said García.
Additionally, they teach them how drains work and how to fight to prevent garbage from reaching the oceans.
Garcia explained that the past has led to 4, 000 students from different schools in Los Angeles to the beach to finish the learning with a cleaning. But this year everything will be virtual.
“We have created a video that gives the same education on how the drainage from the streets to the ocean is connected. We teach them how to love the ocean, how to be good stewards, ”Garcia said.
The culmination of the program will include an ocean-themed student art contest. The goal is to continue the mission of educating thousands of youth throughout Los Angeles to be environmental stewards.
Each artwork received will be listed as one individual image in a giant mosaic online. The winning artwork will be featured as the main image of the mosaic on June 8 which is World Oceans Day.
Kids Ocean Day 2021 is funded by a partnership between the California Coastal Commission, the City of Los Angeles Department of Public Works, LA Sanitation & Environment, and the Malibu Foundation for Environmental Education.
For almost 30 For years, the Malibu Foundation for Environmental Education has hosted school assemblies at Los Angeles-area elementary schools to teach students about the adverse impacts of pollution on watersheds, oceans, and marine life.
Michael Klubock, founder of the Malibu Foundation and the annual Kids Ocean Day program, said that while it may not be possible to bring students together this year for in-person school assemblies or for the cleaning the beach, the education mission continues.
“We are grateful to be able to get the message across to elementary students online. That they have the power to make a positive difference every day to keep our environment clean, “said Klubock in a statement.
Garcia said that any student or parent family that wants to participate can still do so. You just need to contact your child’s teacher to ask them to register the school.
More information
Schools interested in participating in the online submissions and Art Contest organized by the Malibu Foundation can visit www.kidsoceanday.org for more information. The program is completely free. For more information you can call (310) 614 – 5578.