Marine Institute Explorers Education Programme wins ‘Best Education Outreach Award’

2nd May, 2023: The Marine Institute Explorers Education Programme has topped the ‘Best Education Outreach Award’ category of the Education Awards 2023, announced at a gala event in Dublin (April 27), organised by the BusinessRiver network solution, supported by The Irish Times and amárach research.

Congratulating all those involved with the programme, Dr Paul Connolly, Marine Institute CEO, said the win was truly justified: “We are delighted that the Explorers Programme’s outreach module Healthy Ocean Project & Ocean Champions Award has been recognised for its excellence in promoting ocean literacy at primary-school level. This award recognises the quality of the programme and the work of those delivering it throughout the country”.

“This initiative provides children with invaluable knowledge about the marine environment, and it inspires innovation and presents opportunities across marine science, technology and the arts,” added Dr Connolly.

The Explorers healthy ocean initiative is based on cooperation and co-creation and applies an ‘all-school’ approach where teachers, children, the programme’s outreach teams and local communities work together towards becoming ocean champions.

The Education Awards aim to recognise, encourage and celebrate excellence, and are designed to highlight the key areas that impact upon student performance and to provide a wealth of opportunities.

The judges described the Marine Institute Explorer's Programme as a ‘creative and innovative method of outreach and engagement’. The ‘very cohesive programme’ highlights an important subject: healthy oceans and has a ‘highly commendable collaborative approach in place to resolve the challenges the ocean faces. It shows a firm methodology that is achieving great results,’ they remarked.

“This recognition highlights the importance of marine-themed content being taught in primary schools. Seashore fieldtrips, along with STEM and STEAM projects help teachers to focus on delivering content that promotes ocean literacy and engagement, in line the with new Primary Curriculum Framework,” said Cushla Dromgool-Regan, Strategic Manager, Camden Education, Strategic Managers of the Explorers Programme.

“The teams have worked extremely hard on the healthy ocean initiative and we’re very lucky and proud to have such talented people on board who inspire teachers and children to want to learn more about the ocean and how it influences all facets of life – from the oxygen we breathe, to the energy we use in our homes and to the food we eat,” Ms Dromgool-Regan added.

“Applying an integrated approach helps schools to implement key competencies and skills for children’s learning. The annual Healthy Ocean School Project & Ocean Champion Awards initiative is an excellent example of how this can be achieved,” she said.

The Explorers Education outreach teams include: Galway Atlantaquaria, Leave No Trace – Ireland, Sea Synergy, Old Cork Waterworks Experience, Oceanics Surf School, and Seashore Kids.

ENDS

For more information, please contact:
Cushla Dromgool-Regan
Strategic Education and Communications Manager
(Marine Institute's Explorers Education Programme)
Camden Education
Mobile: + 353 (0) 87 9185519
Email: cushla.dromgoolregan@thecamdentrust.org
Website: www.explorers.ie

Photo caption:

LtoR: Celestine Rowland (Galway Business School / Galway Cultural Institute) representing the national Education Awards 2023, presents Cushla Dromgool-Regan (Camden Education) and the Explorers team for the Best Education Outreach Award for the Marine Institute’s Explorers Education Programme. L2R: William McElhinney (Leave No Trace – Ireland), Dr Noirin Burke (Galway Atlantaquaria), and Padraic Creedon (Leave No Trace – Ireland). Photo: The Education Awards 2023