Project Sea Turtle

By:

Project Sea Turtle is a program created to build awareness of endangered and threatened sea turtle species through the visual arts. Eighth grade students devised their own species protection plan, wrote letters to our Senators/Congress people to alert them of the current Sea Turtle Protection Act on the floor for support, and created various visual art projects focusing on endangered sea turtles found along the Georgia coast and the Gulf of Mexico. Students had the opportunity to visit the Georgia Aquarium for a special Turtle Talk session with a marine biologist and behind the scenes tour.  Students sketched the turtles while at the aquarium to document important details in preparation of the sea turtle art projects.  As an act for animal conservation the students created ceramic sea turtles to sell at our schools PTO meeting with proceeds going to the Georgia Sea Turtle Center by adopting class sea turtles. We were very fortunate to receive a Target Field Trip Grant. The local newspaper and CNN documented our sea turtle efforts.

This program will help our future generations know the causes leading many species of sea turtles toward extinction and create an awareness of the importance of conservation.  Sea turtle conservation education aligns with 8th grade science curriculum and 8th grade visual arts curriculum. It is extremely important to have the students directly participate in the conservation of these marine creatures through the creation of their own artwork where the sales will benefit the Georgia Sea Turtle Center through the adoption of the sea turtle patients.  The Georgia Sea Turtle Center provides sea turtle rehabilitation, research and education programs, increase awareness of habitat and wildlife conservation challenges promote responsibility for ecosystem health and empower individuals to act locally, regionally, and globally to protect the environment.  Through the Georgia Sea Turtle Center’s Adopt-a-Sea-Turtle Program, students will be able to hand select a current turtle patient or a released patient with a satellite transmitter and follow their journey from hospital to sea.  The adoption fee helps offset operating costs such as medication and food for in-house patients as well as supports research conducted to help sea turtles all over the world.

Cnn Link : http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2011/02/20/sea.turtle.art.cnn

Rockdale Citizen Link: http://www.rockdalecitizen.com/news/headlines/Davis_Middle_students_learn_about_sea_turtles_108564264.html

While the students worked on Project Sea Turtle they began to realize, YES they can make a change and YES it starts with one person. Through the adoption of the class sea turtles the students have become directly linked to those turtles.  The joy you see on their faces when they track the two released with the satellite devices is amazing.  They wait for the day when we get the news about Phantom and his release.  The students used their art skills to address environmental concerns and everyone that views their art work will learn about the cause and hopefully spread the word for stricter laws protecting these marine creatures.  When the news piece appeared in the newspaper we got e-mails from people up and down the Eastern Sea Coast.  They offered their advice, sent pictures, and OCEANA sent us resources.  OCEANA inspired the kids to begin writing to our state representatives and congress people for support of a new National Sea Turtle Protection Act.  When we began this process and received the Target Grant, CNN wanted to do a story about Project Sea Turtle.  The CNN broadcast alerted millions of people across the world about the need for sea turtle conservation.