This summer, the University of the Virgin Islands’ (UVI) Growing Research, Restoration, Outreach, and Education (GRROE) USVI Mangroves Program proudly sent a cohort of 14 students, faculty, staff, and local educators to the National Marine Educators Association (NMEA) Annual Conference in Lafayette, Louisiana.
The cohort included four public school teachers, five graduate students, two undergraduate students, and three UVI faculty and staff. Their participation was made possible through funding from the Schmidt Ocean Coalition, the U.S. National Science Foundation’s Coastlines and People Strong Coasts project, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Environmental Literacy Program.
The NMEA conference is a premier annual event that brings together hundreds of formal and informal educators from across the nation who are committed to marine, coastal, and aquatic education. The event features workshops, networking opportunities, hands-on demonstrations, and presentations.
At this year’s conference, the USVI group delivered three oral presentations highlighting the Mangroves in the Classroom program, the USVI Storm Strong program, and broader GRROE initiatives supporting mangrove research, restoration, outreach, and education throughout the Territory. Both Storm Strong and Mangroves in the Classroom integrate place-based, hands-on lessons designed to engage students in hurricane preparedness, mangrove science, restoration, and conservation through classroom activities, field trips, and storytelling.
“Attending NMEA was truly an enriching experience, both personally and professionally. I was able to expand my understanding of coastal ecosystems, especially mangroves. Sessions were engaging and well organized by expert researchers who shared their data on coastal issues,” said Aquellah Cantois, a secondary teacher at Bertha C. Boschulte Middle School on St. Thomas.
“The NMEA was a very constructive professional development opportunity that left me with a wealth of new activities and lessons to implement in the upcoming school year,” said Ver Néle Callwood, a science teacher at Charlotte Amalie High School. “It was difficult to choose which session to attend, as all were highly interactive and informative.”
“Being able to attend and present at NMEA through my work with the Grimes Lab was an exciting and inspirational experience—it was my first conference! I was able to share our work while also meeting and learning from so many other passionate marine educators and researchers,” said Megan Anthony, a UVI undergraduate student.
“The NMEA conference was an incredible blend of academic learning and cultural discovery. I came away with connections that will shape my journey and open doors to future career opportunities,” said Sarai Hutchinson, a UVI graduate student.
The participation of UVI’s GRROE USVI Mangroves cohort underscores the University’s
growing leadership in advancing marine science education. By engaging students, educators,
and researchers on both a local and national stage, UVI continues to prepare the next
generation of environmental stewards while strengthening the Territory’s resilience
to climate change and coastal challenges.
