Youth engagement

About the initiative

Youth engagement is a major priority for many network members. The CELC strategic plan calls on the network to develop and support opportunities for aquarium youth to engage in stewardship actions for ocean and coastal conservation.


Participating aquariums  select and support  teams of teens that develop and carry out  action projects related to climate and conservation in their communities. The CELC network brings these teams together at a summit where they engage with leaders in climate, community resilience, and conservation fields and brainstorm action projects. They complete their projects over the following year and share their results during a virtual meeting. This effort is supported by the eeBLUE partnership between NAAEE and NOAA.

Aquarium teens in action

    Past summits

    2024 Youth Summit

    Hosted by South Carolina Aquarium
    Sponsored by NAAEE in partnership with NOAA

    Circle graphic with seagull flying over the ocean and the text ‘CELC Youth Summit 2024’

    On July 24-27, 2024, teams of teens representing aquariums from the CELC network met at South Carolina Aquarium to participate in the first in-person CELC Youth Summit. The Youth Summit kicked off a year-long effort that will include developing and carrying out projects to address local environmental issues. The teams heard from a variety of speakers on a range of topics including climate action, building community resilience, and science communications. Teams developed skills to help them perform action projects in their communities. Attendees participated in a local conservation project and received tours of NOAA facilities in the surrounding Charleston area. When they returned home, the teams started to perform a community needs assessment and develop action projects around their communities needs. The projects will be completed by spring 2025. The CELC network continues to support these efforts with monthly webinars on professional development, storytelling, and how to design an action project.

      Aquarium teams lined up in 3 rows smiling and wearing matching ‘CELC Youth Summit 2024’ t-shirts and baseball caps with the South Carolina Aquarium deck and a bridge over the water in the background.
      All of the Youth Summit attendees wore their matching CELC Youth Summit gear and gathered together for a group picture in front of the South Carolina Aquarium before heading off to tour the Department of Natural Resources on the last day. (photo credit: Skye Whitney/Oregon Coast Aquarium) (Image credit: Skye Whitney/Oregon Coast Aquarium)
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      Youth Planning Team for the 2024 Youth Summit:

       

      • Janet Ani – Aquarium of the Pacific
      • Kiersten Smith – Audubon Aquarium
      • Alice Chen – New York Aquarium
      • Asees Khaira – Shedd Aquarium
      • Arianna Madlock – Shedd Aquarium
      • Ophélie Legars-Tousignant – Ocean Wise
      • Ava Casey – South Carolina Aquarium
      • Nevaeh Thomas – South Carolina Aquarium
      • Linda Garzeria – South Carolina Aquarium
      • Reagan Ramsey – South Carolina Aquarium
      • Breyanna Brown – South Carolina Aquarium

        2021 Virtual Youth Summit 

        Screenshot of teens and NOAA staff in a video meeting holding up pieces of paper with words written on them. Words include energized, hopeful, empowering, enlightened, grateful, inspired, inspirational, and awesome.
        Teen participants in the Coastal Ecosystem Learning Centers (CELC) Youth Summit pose with a word describing how they feel after the summit. (NOAA)
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        On August 6-8, 2021, teams of high school students associated with our 25 partner aquariums came together for the 2021 CELC Virtual Youth Summit. This exciting weekend featured virtual interactive workshops from leaders sharing how they are making a difference for the ocean through a variety of means — art, social media, writing, advocacy, and more — and teaching the summit participants how they can do the same. After the summit, each group of teens left with new skills, new connections, and a plan for how they will take action in their home community to protect coastal and marine ecosystems. Additionally, the CELC network continued to support participating teens’ continued professional development after the summit through monthly professional development webinars.

        Our partners

        CELC Youth Summits are supported by eeBLUE, a partnership between NOAA Office of Education and the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE). We also work alongside our Youth Planning Team, a group of young leaders from across our partner aquariums who organize and coordinate the summit.  We would also like to acknowledge the external organizations that provided us with resources, guidance, and summit models that helped shape this program, particularly the following groups:

        How to get involved

        If you are interested in getting involved with the CELC youth initiative, the first step is connecting with a CELC institution in your area. See our members list to find out if there is an institution near you.