Ocean Revolution summer internships are partially underwritten by a grant from the Knight-Vision Foundation

elena worked for Ocean Revolution in Santa Cruz before heading to Duke for her masters

Ocean Revolution summer internships. We started a pilot program for coastal summer camps at the Hayground Camp in the Hamptons. We worked doing underwater research in Mozambique for OR partners the Manta and Whale Shark Research Centre.  We researched with fisheries titan Dr. Daniel Pauly at University of British Columbia. Campaigned for congressional candidates that are Ocean Champions . Worked for NGOs like The Ocean Conservancy. We learned video editing and web design so we could  produce pro-ocean propaganda in our own native languages. These OR members did all these things and more.

The most unusual aspect of her initiative is that all members are between the ages of 9-23 (including executive board members). This is practically unheard of in a country where age is considered to be a deciding factor for respect and success. Convincing local authorities of her vision has been a great struggle, but she added that it is getting the youth of today interested in environmental issues that has required the most effort. "At first it was such a failure. So I used English as a tool of bringing people together by advertising English at the beach, with the chance of meeting new people and having fun. I organized games and refreshments and at the same time used English to organize beach clean-up tasks. It was amazing! Over 170 people came and I didn't have enough bags for them to put all the rubbish in." She went on to explain that at the end of the day, friendships had been formed and the beach was much cleaner. This was the real start of Green Ocean
The solid network of dedicated environmentalists in Da Nang means that each university, school and college has its own team leader, who promotes and encourages others to join Green Ocean, through songs, games and wilderness travel and other activities. "We take them into the heart of the jungle to let nature whisper to them. We let them feel the beauty all around. On our way back home we by pass an extremely polluted river and we don't need to say anything. They smell the change and they see the river crying. They immediately want to clean it up and before long they are leading the tours themselves." Nhung makes it clear that the youth of today are the leaders of tomorrow and that we need to help them reach their full potential with continuous encouragement and support.
Otherwise known as the Green Ocean Princess is a 23 year old environment activist and youth leader. Nhung is the founding president of the youth-based organization "Green Ocean", based in Da Nang, where a group of around 300 hundred youths, none over the age of 23, implement environmentally friendly projects to "Keep Da Nang Beautiful." First started in February 2002 with three people picking litter up off the local beach, the organisation, now recognised by the UNDP Viet Nam (United Nations Development Programme) has grown to be one of the most successful youth-driven environmental conservation initiatives Viet Nam has ever seen. Green Ocean activities include raising public awareness on environmental issues by organizing city and beach clean-up campaigns, educational training courses, art and song competitions, eco-tours, forums, workshops, and conferences.
The most unusual aspect of her initiative is that all members are between the ages of 9-23 (including executive board members). This is practically unheard of in a country where age is considered to be a deciding factor for respect and success. Convincing local authorities of her vision has been a great struggle, but she added that it is getting the youth of today interested in environmental issues that has required the most effort. "At first it was such a failure. So I used English as a tool of bringing people together by advertising English at the beach, with the chance of meeting new people and having fun. I organized games and refreshments and at the same time used English to organize beach clean-up tasks. It was amazing! Over 170 people came and I didn't have enough bags for them to put all the rubbish in." She went on to explain that at the end of the day, friendships had been formed and the beach was much cleaner. This was the real start of Green Ocean
The solid network of dedicated environmentalists in Da Nang means that each university, school and college has its own team leader, who promotes and encourages others to join Green Ocean, through songs, games and wilderness travel and other activities. "We take them into the heart of the jungle to let nature whisper to them. We let them feel the beauty all around. On our way back home we by pass an extremely polluted river and we don't need to say anything. They smell the change and they see the river crying. They immediately want to clean it up and before long they are leading the tours themselves." Nhung makes it clear that the youth of today are the leaders of tomorrow and that we need to help them reach their full potential with continuous encouragement and support.

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"When I was 11, I applied for a local youth grant. With that money, I started going to schools, libraries, and special events, speaking to kids and adults about sea-turtle conservation, because the sea turtles that nest along the beaches on the west coast of Florida are extremely threatened. I do a PowerPoint presentation and have a young person put on a turtle costume I made. I also have a biodegradability chart explaining how long trash takes to break down in the ocean. I bring a sandbox and have kids bury a Ping-Pong ball in the sand, just like a mother turtle would do to make her nest on the beach. The newest addition to my presentation is an activity book I recently wrote. I raised money through grants to pay for the printing.

OR Artist in Residence Jon Snow has been an essential part of the Ocean Revolution Team since the beginning. His documentations of global cultural evolution are crucial in tracking and creating the dynamic movement that Ocean Revolution has commited itself to becoming. In addition, Jon is Artist in Residence at the Hayground School in Bridgehampton, New York. Hayground is a school dedicated to innovative multicultural education and has strong ties to Ocean Revolution.

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Santos Sillas is one of our newest Ocean Revolutionaries. He's 16 and a sophomore at Herbert Hoover High School in San Diego, California. Santos is a member of the Aquatic Adventures team that joined OR at the Native Oceans Council in Loreto this year and a member of the exclusive BAHIA program. Is Marine Biology in Santos' future? Stay tuned!

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