Education

 

It is no secret that people protect what they understand and love. That’s why STCB makes  education and public awareness a priority.

 

 

STCB works with local schools, providing sea turtle education for students from elementary through high-school ages. Students learn about turtle biology and conservation. Older students turn their knowledge into valuable community service by giving presentations and participating in monitoring, data collection and beach cleanups. 

STCB also shares the compelling story of sea turtle conservation on Bonaire in a variety of ways—from public presentations to informative articles via media and the Internet.

 

 

Radio is popular on Bonaire. Residents frequently tune in for news and actively participate in call-in shows. To reach that important audience, STCB recently partnered with radio stations providing a turtle awareness campaign titled, Did You Know. Izaline Calister, a renowned Antillean jazz singer, hosts the series. It is designed to increase general awareness of sea turtles. These 30-second public service announcements in Papiamentu and English were distributed in 2009 to radio stations in all five islands of the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba.

 

Hear one of the STCB radio spots

Click to learn more about Izaline Calister and her music at www.izalinecalister.com.

 

 

Funchi finds a teachable moment during a research session - photo STCB

Izaline Calister recording STCB's radio campaign spots - photo Jan de Kruijf

 

Every school year, STCB and local high school students join forces in a class of learning and experience that is part of the social science curriculum. During 30 hours of classes, field work, and community service, students learn about sea turtles, their biology and life histories, and venture into the field to gain first-hand experience in sea turtle conservation.