Established in 2019, the Sea Turtle TECH (Technology Education Challenges Horizons) STEM Mentorship and Conservation Career Training Program at the Barrier Island Center, on the Carr Refuge, builds on the established Tour de Turtles program by training local youth, teens and young adults in additional tools, technology and techniques sea turtle scientists use to study the Carr Refuge and Indian River Lagoon turtle populations. STC’s overarching goal of these programs is to train stewards of the Carr Refuge through hands-on, real-workforce development STEM experiences necessary to manage natural resources and succeed in the 21st century.
Through the Sea Turtle TECH STEM program participants connect with sea turtles and their habitats through an immersive series of hands-on workshops led by STEM professionals. By collaborating with the Archie Carr Working Group, STC has access to STEM professionals from up to fifteen organizations working together to protect the Carr Refuge and adjacent habitats and will engage them as role models for youth and teens. Participants will study local species of sea turtles and experience the interconnectedness of their habitats, observe the sea turtle life cycle, quantify the hatching success of a sea turtle nest and use an app to assess how beach lighting affects orientation of hatchlings on a nesting
beach. Participants work in collaborative teams to engineer and drive Remote Operated Vehicles (ROV’s), marine robots, used to study sea turtle behavior. They learn how to report a sea turtle stranding to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission. Participants have the hands-on opportunity to seine-net for creatures living in the Indian River Lagoon and then later build on that experience by observing the University of Central Florida Marine Turtle Research scientists use large collection nets deployed by boat to study turtle health in the Indian River Lagoon.
Supported by your donations, the Conservancy Friends of Aquarina, have been able to support several interns who participated in the nine week Conservation Career Training program in addition to all the STEM workshops. These intern work with a team of three other high school and college interns and also gain experience in a wide range of job skills while assisting with all manner of operations at the Barrier Island Center. Job skills the interns build include visitor services, gift shop sales and financial reporting, trail and aquarium maintenance, habitat monitoring, scouting for turtles on night turtle walks and non-profit fundraising. The intern participants grow their knowledge of sea turtles and local ecology, gain an understanding of scientific practice and ecological research methods, increase their confidence in their ability to achieve a STEM career, and improve their communication and leadership skills. All of these life skills are also necessary to become effective stewards of the Carr Refuge and conservation habitats statewide.
The Sea Turtle TECH STEM Mentorship and Conservation Career Training Program trains youth, teens and college students in real-world sea turtle science tools, technologies and techniques needed to protect sea turtles and Florida’s natural resources. Through hands-on training, STEM mentorship experiences, and building job skills and their local contact network, our next generation of local young professionals will be prepared to enter and lead the conservation workforce of tomorrow.
Your donations to Conservancy Friends of Aquarina allow us to provide funding for these programs. In 2023 as part of a broader budget cut, the barrier island center lost their funding for the summer internship program. In response to their proposal, we provided:
- funding for ONE intern, in 2023.
Based on the fantastic presentation we received from this intern in the Fall of 2023, we:
- increased funding for TWO interns for the 2024 summer internship program.
As with the prior year, Sarah Rhodes-Ondi, Community Stewardship Coordinator, and the intern(s) present the Sea Turtle Nesting Updates and the Conservation Career Training Program overview in the Fall, at the Aquarina Community Center.
