[Coral-List] support of marine sciences in US classrooms

[Mat Nolan]

I've visited a local teacher's (Ms Horne) classroom and the life forms;
corals et al; that exists in her aquariums is amazing and breathtaking to
behold.  I am of the belief students working with these life forms may
result in bonds being created and the students may care enough that they
may be a part of figuring out their preservation in the future.

This is her teacher page on donorschoose.org.  You can get an idea of the
what she is trying to accomplish via perusing her previously funded
requests.

https://www.donorschoose.org/we-teach/470517?projects=true

In the following project she was funded to attend The Marine Aquarium
Conference of North America  (MACNA)

https://www.donorschoose.org/project/teacher-as-student-marine-aquarium-envi/3190977/

I've cut and pasted a section from her post project thank you section at
the bottom of this post.
In it she says Charlie Veron  told her our planet will be determined by
today's children and their education ... the best way to do this is to set
up reef tanks in classrooms.

Maintaining these systems is not an easy task and has some significant cost.

Donorschoose.org will partner with sponsors to support causes and classroom
projects that the sponsors care about.

The purpose of this post is to make you aware of the opportunity for a
sponsor to provide matching funds for US classroom projects that support
salt water aquariums for instance.  Currently, only 10 of 80000+ projects
teachers are asking support for are for saltwater aquariums.

https://www.donorschoose.org/donors/search.html?keywords=saltwater%20aquarium

The minimum amount of support to be an official partner and provide a match
is $25000.

Another example, this is a teacher I'm currently personally supporting,
I'll get him funded eventually via my recycling hobby,

https://www.donorschoose.org/project/help-nemo-200-gallon-saltwater-reef-tan/3538635/

I saw a previous project he had up that did not fund and messaged him
telling him hey get another project up I'll see to it that you get funded
this time.

Given the opportunity to have matching funds teachers will attempt more
aquarium projects and donors will be much more likely to fund them.

So, if you know of someone or some entity with the inclination and funds to
help US teachers add saltwater aquariums to their classrooms per Charlie's
suggestion donorschoose.org provides an avenue to accomplish that goal.

You might also note the amazing success at Ms Horne has at being funded.  I
joke with her, I'd love to give to your projects but they will fund without
my help...  I attribute this to the successful effect the aquariums and the
life forms within them have at inspiring donations in conjunction with this
teachers dedication and efforts at maintaining them.  Perhaps this is
evidence that once the aquarium is obtained for the classroom, the people
affected by its presence will support its maintenance; something a sponsor
might be concerned about.

So that's my pitch of a method for aiding in saving the oceans via
classroom education in the US via donorschoose.org.

And if a sponsor is found for a match, I will support the cause with a
significant allocation of my giving budget from my giving page.

Matt Nolan


The excerpt I mentioned above:

"The highlight of the event for me was the keynote speaker at a banquet:
John "Charlie" Veron, the Godfather of the Great Barrier Reef, considered
by many to be a second Darwin. He spent his life studying the coral reefs
of Australia and is responsible for uncovering and sharing the astounding
biodiversity of the reef ecosystem, its impact on the ocean life and
climate, and what it reveals about the stability of Earth's dynamic
processes. I so enjoyed hearing about his "lifetime spent underwater" and
his reflections on science education. His natural love of science and
inquiry was nearly quashed in school by traditional science curriculum and
it is fortunate for the rest of us that he found his way back to it as an
adult when he had more freedom. I was struck when he adamantly declared in
the last part of his talk that the future of coral reefs, the ocean, and
our planet will be determined by today's children and their education. It
is vital for them to learn about reefs directly - their wonders, their
importance, and how to be stewards of the reefs. He said the best way to do
this is to set up reef tanks in classrooms, even if no formal marine
science will be taught, so students have the opportunity to observe a reef,
become captivated by the rich ecosystem, and value it. I was so moved when
after the talk I went up to thank him for his life's work and for speaking
to us, then he thanked ME for starting a marine science class with tanks
for kids to take care of and for fostering the generation of stewards we
desperately need. This was one of my most meaningful moments as a teacher"