MERITO stands for Multicultural Education for Resources Issues Threatening Oceans

Here at MERITO Foundation, we are committed to protecting the ocean by facilitating education, conservation, and scientific research opportunities to multicultural youth and their communities.

Our Latest News

Happy faces of the EECCOA Challenge 2020 Virtual Awards Event

MERITO Foundation’s board and staff held the EECCOA 2020 Virtual Challenge and Awards Event on Thursday, May 28, 2020. The event honored the 28 students who despite the many challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic had the courage, drive, and discipline to put together proposals to reduce the carbon footprint of their school campuses. As well as their teachers, who made a monumental effort to motivate and guide them.

Highlights of the event were the inspiring words and stunning underwater videos of Ocean Ambassador Jean-Michel Cousteau of Ocean Futures Society, and the very eloquent and heartfelt statements of the student authors of the project proposals.

Learn more on our Blog

Our Vision

Our vision is a healthy ocean cared by diverse coastal communities who live in an environmentally responsible manner regardless of native language, economic status, cultural beliefs, or ethnic background because we all share one ocean.

Our Mission

Our Mission is ocean protection through education, conservation, citizen science, and to inspire the next generation of environmental professionals.

438 Educators Trained

16,781

4th-12th grade students immersed in ocean and climate education

437 Project proposals authored by students to reduce their school carbon footprint

10,984

Students sponsored education trips to Channel Islands

465 Hands on conservation and/or citizen science field experiences

$36,400

Disbursed as cash and in kind prizes to students authors of best projects

How We Do It

Ocean and Climate

Education Programs

Bilingual Outreach

Conservation and Citizen Science

International Citizen Science

Teacher's Training Workshops

Services Tailored for Schools

TerryEllinston_CountyLine-MERITOAcademy2

"The MERITO Academy was an inspirational experience for my students and I when I taught 5th grade level. Without the program, my students would not otherwise have gotten access to such a high quality of science instruction."

Teresa (Terry) Ellingson

The MERITO Foundation is being recognized with the Community Foundation Award at the Water: Take 1 Film Festival

The award honors the Foundation's effort to build ocean stewardship and environmental literacy among local youth. Through a partnership between the MERITO Foundation and Ventura Water, over 1,500 students from Ventura schools have visited the Ventura Water Reclamation Facility since 2017. During field experiences, students learn about the importance of conserving water in our region, how our water distribution system works, and how to reduce urban runoff pollution.

The award will be presented during the Water: Take 1 Film Festival organized by Ventura Water. The film festival is a free, public event featuring short films that showcase critical water issues and community efforts in water conservation.

This event was postponed. Check back soon for a new date!