Today the fifth grade class presented to the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council. They asked the council to consider changing the current “recommendation” of a 50-yard boating distance from whales in the Monterey Bay to a 100-yard law. Students were well-spoken, educated and mature! Great job!
“The students’ presentation to members of the Council went really well,” commented fifth grade teacher and project co-leader Jessica Cambell. “Their presentation was a follow up on letters they wrote recently petitioning the Council to create legislation. Currently, the Monterey Bay has no such law and boat collisions, noise and exhaust are major threats to the whales’ survival. Hawaii and Washington have successfully enacted protection laws and students asked the Council to enact similar legislation for the Monterey Bay.
“The Council was persuaded and told the students the topic will come up for action on a future agenda,” she said. ” While the whole process make a few years until it is fully realized, it was a real victory and positive step in helping to protect these important marine mammals.”
This real-world civics-in-action lesson is part of the students’ larger Orca environmental project.
