Yorkshire Academy is Houston’s Ocean Guardian School
Posted: October 27, 2023 | Author: Yorkshire Academy
Becoming Houston’s First Ocean Guardian School
Listening to Jacqui Stanley speak, one can’t help but be pulled in by her passion for the oceans. A native of Australia, Mrs. Stanley is an accomplished scuba diver, a published children’s author, an ocean conservationist, and, amazingly, a fifth-grade teacher at Yorkshire Academy. To say that we are blessed to have her is an understatement, as her knowledge of and love for the environment has led to incredible achievements through our SEEDS program, including our designation by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) as Houston’s First Ocean Guardian School.
Commitment to the Environment
What is an Ocean Guardian School? It is a school that makes a commitment to protecting and conserving local watersheds, the world’s oceans, and special ocean areas, by proposing and implementing conservation projects. Conservation projects and awareness of environmental issues are nothing new for Yorkshire Academy, where 3rd through 5th grade students, under the leadership of Mrs. Stanley, participate in the SEEDS (Students Engaging the Environment through Discovery and Science) program. This program not only teaches students about our environment but also gives them opportunities to make a difference through hands-on experiences. During the 2018-19 school year, Yorkshire students worked on a project focusing on the quality of water and how water travels from the Buffalo Bayou to the Gulf of Mexico. They learned how to test water, as well as engineering new methods to keep soil and debris runoff out of the water system. Yorkshire Academy earned a grant for equipment and transportation to Rice University, where the students were invited to give a presentation to the Bioscience Coral Lab. Once all the aspects of the grant were fulfilled, a representative from NOAA visited the school and approved Yorkshire Academy as Houston’s first Ocean Guardian School.
Ocean Guardians in the Middle of the City
One thing that is unique about a Houston school being an Ocean Guardian School is that, unlike those students in schools with this designation in places like California, students in Houston can’t walk outside of their homes and see the ocean. Living in a city, it’s easy to forget the impact our actions have on our ocean, and our connection to the waters of the world. What many in Houston don’t realize, though, is how close they are to an amazing marine sanctuary. Protecting 17 separate reefs and banks in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico, the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary is located just 160 miles from Houston. It is one of the 15 national marine sanctuaries and two marine national monuments protected by the NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, and the only such site in the Gulf of Mexico. Having served as the education chair for Flower Garden Banks from 2009 to 2019, Mrs. Stanley is uniquely suited to impart knowledge about this special place to our students, along with her love for everything involving taking care of the oceans and marine life. The idea is that, through early learning about environmental issues, students can be educated in stewardship of our earth and our oceans.
Continuing to Teach Conservation
This year, Yorkshire Academy was awarded the Ocean Guardian School Designation for the fifth year in a row, and is still the only Houston Ocean Guardian school. As Yorkshire Academy continues the culture of supporting all aspects of education, students attend weekly SEEDS meetings to learn more about Flower Garden Banks, including the underlying geology, a variety of habitats, the larger context of the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem and its watersheds, and the specific plants and animals found within the sanctuary. Yorkshire Academy collaborates with local organizations and utilizes interactive teaching methods to give students an understanding of our environment that will make them care about it and want to be good stewards. In addition to learning and participating in our current Ocean Guardian project, Yorkshire Academy students present at local schools and universities, impressing those who hear them with their knowledge and sharing their love and understanding of nature with other children. Is there any better way to communicate this information than by children teaching other children?
A Firm Educational Foundation
Under the leadership of caring and invested teachers like Jacqui Stanley, we will continue to promote comprehensive learning, helping our students develop not only into scholars but also into thoughtful and committed citizens of the world. At Yorkshire Academy, we provide a firm educational foundation, in a safe, secure, loving private school environment where students are supported in developing educational passions, pursuing experiences in the visual and performing arts, and participating in physical activity and community service. Because we believe that intellectual development, emotional maturity, and a moral life are the essential qualities of a good education, Yorkshire Academy provides programs that are both vigorous and enjoyable, under the supervision of highly qualified, engaging, talented, energetic teachers. Our goal is to inspire our students to strive for excellence and develop creativity so that learning might be pleasurable and rewarding. To learn more about our private elementary school, schedule a tour, learn about elementary and preschool enrollment, or join our community of students, teachers, and parents working together, call 281.531.6088 or contact us through our website.