By S.Browne. Updated 11:11 a.m., Friday, September 5, 2025, Atlantic Standard Time (GMT-4).
Thirty students between the ages of 8 and 18 have graduated from the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Environment Fund’s (SVGEF) Youth Ocean Academy, a programme designed to nurture the next generation of ocean guardians.
The graduation, which took place on 30 August 2025, marked the closing of the programme for the first cohort of the Youth Ocean Academy.
Over the past six months, the students took part in the Academy, gaining hands-on experience in marine conservation across six focus areas: sailing, cetaceans, coral, sea turtles, water quality and freshwater species, and seabirds. The programme blended classroom learning with conservation fieldwork and brought together Vincentian youth from diverse backgrounds, all connected by a shared passion for protecting the ocean, and by extension, the environment.
The closing ceremony highlighted the participants’ outstanding achievements, with students reflecting on their journey and the top eight Ocean Guardians recognised for their performance and commitment. Many spoke about the friendships they formed, the skills they developed, and the growing passion for marine conservation fostered throughout the programme.
Programme Manager Delight Ollivierre shared: “This first cohort of Ocean Guardians has shown us what is possible when young people are given opportunities to connect deeply with the sea. Their enthusiasm, discipline, and creativity give me so much hope for the future of ocean stewardship in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Ocean literacy is at the heart of marine conservation and is key to protecting our islands’ natural environment.”
SVGEF extended its gratitude to the donors, project partners, and volunteers who made the Youth Ocean Academy possible, including the local mentors who guided the participants through each module.
The information was sourced from a press release sent to us by the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Environment Fund.
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