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Heal the Bay Blog

Lunch ‘n Learn Introduces Kids to the Sea

05.07.2013 |

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“Best…fieldtrip…ever!”

So go the reviews we at Heal the Bay receive from the students who’ve accompanied us on one of our Lunch ‘n Learn fieldtrips. And we have to agree. Lunch ‘n Learn trips are our favorites too, as we get to spirit these kids away on a mini vacation from their concrete jungle to the beautiful beaches along our coast. 

Our current sponsor, Duke’s restaurant in Malibu, provides every student with a healthy and delicious three-course meal including their famous Hula Pie.  The students who come through our program get to learn about watersheds and the stormdrain system, dig in the sand and play educational games. 

Last year, after a last minute cancellation, we rang the siren to find a school capable of taking advantage of this opportunity.  Through a great relationship with the office of then councilmember Tony Cardenas, we welcomed Valor Academy for the very first time.  Needless to say, the kids had a blast! 

Valor Academy is a charter school located in Arleta, at the center of the northeast San Fernando Valley.  The students in the school rank among the highest academically in their area and are supported by a great team of teachers and administrators who believe in their path to success.  Often these types of schools have very limited resources and Heal the Bay was ecstatic to be able to reward their achievement through one of our best programs. 

It was our pleasure to welcome back Valor Academy for a second time on April 4, 2013. Both times we found the students very polite and well behaved, and able to absorb the material at an impressive capacity.  It’s evident the entire school reinforces a solid learning strategy for each child. 

We love to hear the kids describe the field trip as their best ever (some have even shared that the day was the best of their entire lives).  Seeing their young faces light up with the joy of learning and discovery is the reason why we love to hosts these types of fieldtrips month after month.   

The learning doesn’t stop there.  Thanks to a partnership with The Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Foundation, every scholar gets to go home with an ocean-themed book.

Here at Heal the Bay, we are constantly looking for new partners and sponsors to continue funding these types of hands-on learning experiences.  For many of these children, it is their first visit to the beach.  So if you are part of, or know of, a company who might be interested in growing this type of programming for all children throughout Los Angeles County—give us a call at 310.451.1500.

–– Eveline Bravo-Ayala (Beach Programs Manager) and Melissa Aguayo (Educational Outreach Manager)

 

Heal the Bay provides beach education through our Lunch ‘n Learn program to 500 Title 1 students per year. Learn more about our science-based educational efforts. Lunch’ n Learn is just the beginning!

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Volunteers: The Heart of Our Aquarium

05.07.2013 |

Heal the Bay AquariumSanta Monica

Did you know that the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium annually welcomes more than 85,000 visitors to their education facility?That’s more than the capacity of Dodger Stadium and the Staples Center combined!

And even with such a talented staff, it’s still no wonder that the Aquarium relies heavily on the support and willingness of their volunteers. To date, the Aquarium has approximately 180 active volunteers serving within the numerous programs offered to the public. Some of these programs include Saturday story time, school field trips, Monday morning marine biology classes for three- to five-year-olds and marine-based presentations for visitors during public hours.

SMPA’s Volunteer Coordinator Jenna Segal started out as a volunteer herself back in 2010. She remembers the enjoyment of seeing students get excited about learning. “We might be their first point of [marine-related] education,” said Jenna. And with roughly 15,000 students visiting the Aquarium each year, education plays a key role in volunteering.

All volunteers go through a six-session training course, which involves learning some basics of marine biology and Heal the Bay’s hot topics. But don’t think it’s all work and no play here at the Aquarium. Most volunteers would agree that what they do is most gratifying, to say the least.

Barry Seid, a long time volunteer and honoree of the Bob Hertz Award for his loyalty and commitment, knows a little bit about the joys of being an Aquarium volunteer. “When you’re volunteering, you get more out of it than the people around you,” said Barry, who loves to mingle and joke around with every visitor. “It’s very satisfying, instant gratification.” When asked what might be his favorite volunteer-related memory, he answered sincerely. “Well, every memory has honestly been my favorite.” Which might explain the 13 years of service he has dedicated to the Aquarium thus far.

As we continue to celebrate the Aquarium’s 10-year anniversary and celebrate all that’s been accomplished, we can’t help but acknowledge the epic role each volunteer has played in this success. It’s not just about the training or the amount of hours invested, to volunteer is to pour your all into a cause that is dear to the heart; to educate and inspire the care and conservation of the Santa Monica Bay and its inhabitants. Here’s to another 10 years!

“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give” –Winston Churchill

— Deana Fry
Aquarium Intern

Heal the Bay’s Santa Monica Pier Aquarium annually recognizes all the amazing work – and hours – put in by Aquarium volunteers. Last week the marine science center held its pin ceremony honoring the volunteers. 

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Thank You Thursday – 5.2.13

05.02.2013 |

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Los Angeles is so massive, divided by often impenetrable freeways, that it’s sometimes easy to forget that we all share a community, let alone a planet. And then along comes Earth Month (formerly known as Earth Day).

Thank you to the thousands of you Earth lovers who donated your time to give back to our beautiful planet this month. Whether you came to clean the beach, build a park or help us with outreach, we are tremendously grateful!

We’d also like to thank our Earth Month partners:

A hearty thank you to the two sets of Corporate Healers, who helped clean the beach this month:

  • Some very enthusiastic employees from Magento, a division of Ebay, came to Santa Monica Beach on April 18.
  • LA Kings staff, led by Heal the Bay boardmember Jennifer Regan, cleaned Dockweiler on actual Earth Day. Among the 335 pounds of trash they found were a pink marshmallow and fake green finger with a red claw!  (Jennifer also joined us at our outreach table at an L.A. Galaxy game. Thanks, Jennifer!)

And a big thank you to Slyde Handboards for donating to Heal the Bay 70% from an auction of a one-of-a-kind handboard autographed by bodysurfer Mark Cunningham, director Keith Malloy and photographer Chris Buckard. You guys rule! 

Want to sustain that Earth Month glow? Join us May 5 for a cleanup in Compton Creek!

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Celebrate Mother's Day with Aquadoption

05.01.2013 |

California GrunionHeal the Bay AquariumSanta Monica

What better way to celebrate Mother’s Day on May 12 than to adopt a shark egg at Heal the Bay’s Santa Monica Pier Aquarium? Moms can visit the Aquarium to check the progress of their swell shark or horn shark – both species grow in an egg casing for at least nine months – but the Aquarium staff will do all the work! It’s a day at the beach for Mom and an important way to connect with the marine environment, support an animal on exhibit and gain a greater understanding of the amazing ocean habitat of the Santa Monica Bay. An Aquadoption gift not only assists in the feeding and care of an animal, it also funds the maintenance of exhibits and the ongoing education and advocacy efforts core to Heal the Bay’s mission.

An Aquadoption includes a one-year family membership with free entry to the Aquarium, an adoption packet and a laminated animal ID card. Visit the Aquarium to get acquainted with prospective adoptees during public hours, Tuesday through Friday from 2-5 p.m. or weekends from 12:30 to 5 p.m. 

You can also treat your mom to a special sighting this Mother’s Day during a Grunion Run. Starting Thursday and through Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights, you’ll have a rare opportunity to spot the sleek fish that comes onto land in the thousands to lay eggs, flopping in the moonlight on our local beaches. We have times and tips to spot the Grunion. 

Consider dedicating a donation in honor of your mother. A gift to Heal the Bay is the perfect way to show someone how important they are while at the same time making a significant difference in our Bay. If you like, Heal the Bay will send notification of your dedication gift along with your personal note to the person of your choosing.

Whether you purchase a yearlong adoption for Mom, for a friend or for a child or grandparent, or foster an animal yourself, it is the gift that keeps on giving on behalf of marine life welfare. Newborn shark pups and eight other species of marine animals are also available for fostering through Aquadoption. 

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New iPad game SUPERFUGU spreads conservation message

05.01.2013 |

Heal the Bay Aquarium

Heal the Bay’s Santa Monica Pier Aquarium recently teamed up with Wemo Media to help spread the word about ocean conservation via a new iPad game, SUPERFUGU.

The free 3-D game allows players to control an eco-warrior pufferfish named Fugu who must fend for himself to escape the threat of endangerment from urban and stormwater runoff, plastic pollution and overfishing.

Animated by Avatar Animation Director Andy Jones, with ocean science facts presented by oceanographer Dr. Sylvia Earle, SUPERFUGU launched on iTunes on May 1.

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PBS Honors Our Education Programs

05.01.2013 |

News

On Saturday evening, I drove from Santa Monica to Santa Ana. If you know me at all, you know this in and of itself was a huge feat, as I hate to drive. But some things are worth driving for and PBS SoCal’s A Lifetime of Learning Gala was one of those things.

Last year, Heal the Bay was chosen as one of PBS SoCal’s Community Champions for our educational programs that encourage engagement in learning, and, amidst the chaos of April 2012’s Earth Month, PBS SoCal filmed this lovely PSA about Heal the Bay’s educational impact.

The official award presentation was on Saturday evening, and we were honored amidst so many other effective individuals and organizations. For me personally, having spent the past 7 ½ years managing Heal the Bay’s environmental education programs, it was very rewarding to have these programs acknowledged by such an amazing organization and leader in education itself – PBS SoCal.

Most people know Heal the Bay for our cleanups and tabling events, but we also educate thousands of students every year, introducing them to our rivers, creeks and ocean, helping them to look at our natural world through a scientific lens, and inspiring a conservation ethic. People often assume that we only educate people living coastally, but we strive to provide opportunities for every student whether they live right on the beach or many miles inland to learn about our coastal resources and the ways they can become active stewards of them.

There are few experiences more rewarding than taking a child to the beach for the first time, leading them down the sand (“Teacher! It moves – the ground moves!”), and having them look out, not at buildings and roads, but at the ocean horizon, stretching for miles. Our educational programs do this and other similarly inspiring moments all of the time, so to be acknowledged for it was hugely rewarding.

A heartfelt thank you to PBS SoCal for honoring Heal the Bay for our educational work! And for letting me fulfill a childhood fantasy of having my photo taken with Big Bird! It was definitely worth the drive.

— Tara Treiber

Education Director, Heal the Bay

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Emergency Shelter for Seals Opens

05.01.2013 |

News

Three elephant seal pups now reside in the Santa Monica Mountains, checking into a newly-constructed rehabilitation facility at the California Wildlife Center that was built in only three weeks.

According to the Malibu Times, the 100-lb. pups were transported in vans from the Marine Mammal Center in San Pedro to the new shelter in Malibu Canyon.

In an email to supporters, California Wildlife Center Executive Director Marcella Bell reported: “All three of these young and severely underweight animals have been receiving medical care and treatment from our friends at Marine Mammal Care Center/Ft. MacArthur.  Now that they have arrived at CWC, we will continue the work that Marine Mammal Care started and prepare these animals for release back to their ocean home!

“This extra space, and our enhanced ability to care for Northern Elephant Seals in need, will subsequently free up much needed animal care space in Southern California as every attempt is made to care for the hundreds of sick and dying California Sea Lions on our local beaches.”

Bell credited the “outpouring of support” the CWC received since the rescue group began working to accommodate the massive influx of sickly California sea lion pups, which have been stranding on local beaches in record numbers this year.

Heal the Bay staff would like to thank our supporters—including The Waitt Foundation and California Community Foundation – for rallying to care for these animals in need.

 View photos of the new enclosures on the California Wildlife Center’s Facebook page.

Seals

Pictured: “Waitt” (left), rescued at Point Dume Beach on April 18; “Code Blue” (middle) rescued at Cabrillo Beach on April 25; and “Roy” (right) rescued at Will Rogers Beach on April 20.

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Dos and Don’ts of Grunion Runs

04.26.2013 |

California GrunionNews

Tonight (August 8) and tomorrow you will have the rare opportunity to spot the grunion, a sleek fish that comes onto land in the thousands to lay eggs, flopping in the moonlight on our local beaches. As the grunion population is believed to have decreased, it’s important to protect them during spawning for the future population.

Here are some more tips from Heal the Bay Marine & Coastal Scientist Dana Roeber Murray for viewing this amazing sight:

  • Do not to touch or or interfere with spawning.
  • Be quiet and don’t shine a light
  • Leave your dog at home, or watch it closely, as canines may devour the eggs
  • Good runs can be spotted at Surfrider in Malibu, Cabrillo Beach in Santa Pedro, Santa Monica State Beach, Hermosa Beach and Venice Beach.

Consult this grunion schedule for the best times to observe these “silver surfers.”

Observers of grunion runs are urged to report the time and location of the run for scientific purposes.

Grunion run numbers down this year.

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Keep Our City Clean, Build a Park!

04.24.2013 |

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At Heal the Bay we are not usually in the business of makeovers. But for the past few years, we’ve been working with Wisdom Academy of Young Scientists (WAYS) to revamp a gray empty lot in South LA into a glorious, green outdoor community space.

This Saturday, April 27, you can be part of transforming a neighborhood hit hard by urban blight, by joining us for a cleanup around the future home of WAYS Reading and Fitness Park.

This cleanup is the continuation of the fun work we undertook in September when we organized a cleanup of the site as part of Coastal Cleanup Day and invited a group of neighborhood students to come out and paint the planter boxes and benches.  Some of the kids happily painted “Keep the City Clean” signs by their own choice.  

Then in October, we hosted a Fall Festival with over 30 families attending to carve pumpkins, get their faces painted, create holiday masks, learn about the WAYS park project, and discuss their visions of the park.

To ring out the year, we hosted 20 neighborhood families for a winter holiday-themed festival, with activities like creating ornaments and picture frames from everyday materials to hang as decorations. We also continued to reach out to residents about the park project.

Now, on April 27, as part of GOOD’s Neighborday, we’ll be hosting an Earth Month “Re-Paint & Re-Plant” community cleanup where local students will help replant some of our planter boxes, paint over graffiti and put up some art of their own. In addition, to help address illegal dumping in their community we are having a neighborhood bulky-item drop off. 

— Stephen Mejia

Urban Programs Coordinator

 Can’t make it? You can still support our work in South Los Angeles, by becoming a member of Heal the Bay.

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