This is a two-and-a-half-year initiative titled “Youth Education & Engagement at Ormond Beach,” of the City of Oxnard funded by a California Department of Fish & Wildlife (CDFW) grant. The MERITO Foundation is delivering the services to 4th–12th grade educators (teachers and after-school instructors), instructing at schools located in disadvantaged communities in the City of Oxnard.

 

This project provides in-class and outdoor environmental education for students in Oxnard, offering hands-on opportunities to reduce pollution and improve habitat health by tracking and removing waste, debris, and invasive species at Ormond Beach. Participants will also support local biodiversity through native plant restoration and wildlife monitoring.

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Through this initiative, students will contribute to the restoration of their local coastal habitats while expanding their environmental and Chumash cultural knowledge.

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​Participating educators receive:

• Access to MERITO Foundation lesson plans and professional development (teacher's training)

• Sponsorship of the cost of substitute teachers and bus transportation for student field experiences