Palau International Coral Reef Center Hosts Ocean Explorers Program for Eighth Grade Students

The Palau International Coral Reef Center (PICRC) hosted the Ocean Explorers Program, a hands-on intersession program for eighth-grade students, during the week of September 29. The program engaged 16 students from Koror Elementary School, Airai Elementary School, and Meyuns Elementary School, offering an exciting opportunity to explore the world of marine science.

Over the course of three and a half days, students participated in a range of activities designed to spark curiosity and inspire future ocean stewards. Highlights included a reef fish dissection workshop and a plankton workshop, where students collected samples from the aquarium and the ocean, then observed their findings under the microscope.

Throughout the program and working in groups, students designed and built their own miniature underwater robots, which they later tested in a large aquarium tank. While full-sized Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) are typically used by scientists to explore deep or hard-to-reach parts of the ocean, these smaller versions were created for learning purposes. The activity gave students a fun and practical introduction to engineering and design, while connecting these skills to marine conservation, ocean exploration, and environmental monitoring.

Students also connected virtually with two renowned exploration vessels—the E/V Nautilus and the NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer—to learn about deep-sea mapping and ocean exploration directly from the experts at sea.

In addition to hands-on science, the program gave students a behind-the-scenes look at PICRC’s research and conservation work, including a tour of the Palau Aquarium and its ongoing coral restoration and aquaculture projects.

PICRC’s Outreach Department designed the Ocean Explorers Program to help young learners understand the importance of marine ecosystems and the role science plays in protecting them. “We hope programs like this will inspire students to pursue future careers in marine science and become champions for Palau’s ocean,” said Adeeshia Imade Tellei, Director of PICRC’s Outreach Department.

The Ocean Explorers Program is part of PICRC’s continuing efforts to engage Palau’s youth in ocean education and conservation through interactive, locally grounded learning experiences. PICRC extends it sincere thanks to Conservation International for providing the support for this program.