This immersive educational program aimed to further Bahamian educators’ understanding of marine environments and coral reefs, in particular. The program covered topics on coral biology, ecology, and local ocean conservation issues, and included field experience. The ten local teachers also earned their PADI AWARE Coral Reef Conservation and PADI Skin Diver certifications.

2025-2026 B.A.M. Student Voices
Throughout the Bahamas Awareness of Mangroves (B.A.M.) and Jamaica Awareness of Mangroves in Nature (J.A.M.I.N.) programs, we evaluate each phase of the mangrove education and restoration process to better understand how students are learning, growing, and connecting with their coastal environments.
Before the programs begin, students share what they already know about mangroves and how they feel about them. As the program progresses, we continue to gather feedback to see how their knowledge evolves from identifying mangrove species and understanding food webs to recognizing the role mangroves play in coastal protection and climate change mitigation.
But the surveys go beyond science content.
We also ask students…
