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...
Ten Years of B.A.M.: Rooted in Partnership, Growing in Purpose
Ten years ago, the Bahamas Awareness of Mangroves (B.A.M.) program began with a simple but meaningful commitment: to connect Bahamian students with the mangrove ecosystems that shape and protect their island home.
Since 2015, B.A.M. has been implemented in partnership with Friends of the Environment,...
From Mangrove Mud to Meaningful Work: Desta’s J.A.M.I.N. Journey
Some students I remember for their grades, their quick answers, or a moment that made the whole class laugh. Others I remember for the way they stepped into the mangroves.
Desta was the kind of student who thrived outdoors. While some students hesitated at the edge of the mud, he walked right in. And...
From Students to Stewards: A Full-Circle Moment for J.A.M.I.N.
There are certain faces you never forget.
Over the years, hundreds of students have stepped into mangrove forests with us through the Jamaica Awareness of Mangroves in Nature (J.A.M.I.N.) program. I may not always remember every name, but I remember the expressions — the hesitation before stepping into...
World Oceans Day: Protecting the Ecosystems That Protect Us
This World Oceans Day, the global community is being challenged to think differently about the ocean.
The 2026 World Oceans Day theme, "Reimagine: Beyond the World We Know, A New Relationship With Our Ocean," invites us to recognize that the ocean is not something distant or separate from our lives....
After the Storm: Standing with Our J.A.M.I.N. Family in Jamaica
There are moments in this work that feel heartbreakingly familiar.
Two weeks after we completed our Jamaica Awareness of Mangroves in Nature (J.A.M.I.N.) programming, Hurricane Melissa made landfall. A powerful Category 5 hurricane, Melissa is now tied with Hurricane Allen in 1980 for the strongest...
B.A.M. Turns 10: A Year of Milestones, Resilience, and Growth
The 2025–2026 academic year was one of those defining years for our Bahamas Awareness of Mangroves (B.A.M.) and Jamaica Awareness of Mangroves in Nature (J.A.M.I.N.) programs. It was a year marked by celebration, challenge, growth, and powerful full-circle moments, and a reminder of why mangrove education...
Meet Olivia Shin, Our 2026 Art Contest 1st Place Winner (Ages 11-14)
When we think about the largest animals on Earth, it’s hard to imagine that their final chapter depends on some of the smallest. That’s exactly the story Olivia Shin set out to tell in her award-winning piece, “The Giant and the Invisible: A Story of Ocean Recycling.” As the first-place winner in the...
Meet Sophia (Jiye) Lee, Our 2026 Art Contest 1st Place Winner (Ages 15-19)
The Science Without Borders® Challenge continues to inspire young artists around the world to explore ocean issues through art. This year’s first-place winner in the 15–19 age group, Sophia (Jiye) Lee, brought the 2026 theme, Microscopic Marine Life, to life in a really unique way with her piece, “Ocean’s...
