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O'Neill Sea Odyssey tells Scotts Valley council its ocean-education program serves hundreds of local students annually
Summary
O'Neill Sea Odyssey updated the City Council on its free ocean-education program, reporting recent teacher training, outreach to Scotts Valley schools and measurement of student gains in environmental awareness.
The O'Neill Sea Odyssey (OSO) presented to the Scotts Valley City Council and reported substantive program activity, outreach and outcomes for youth in the region.
Tracy Weiss, executive director of O'Neill Sea Odyssey, told the council the organization has served more than 131,000 students since 1996 and that the program remains free for schools. “The ocean is our classroom, and it is here in our backyard,” Weiss said, describing an in-class introduction followed by an eight-hour on-water field experience aboard the program’s 65-foot catamaran and applied conservation projects students complete afterward.
Weiss said OSO recently served five classes from Brook Knoll and Vine Hill schools, reaching roughly 130–170 participants per trip when counting students, chaperones and teachers. The program also held an inaugural teacher training this summer and began a volunteer chaperone program to remove barriers for classes lacking sufficient adult volunteers. Weiss said a pre/post survey shows about a 20% increase in environmental awareness among participating students.
Council members asked about COVID-era recovery and program demand; Weiss said applications exceed available trip slots (about 380 applications per year) and that OSO serves roughly 200 classes and about 5,000 students annually. Financially, Weiss said the nonprofit is still recovering from pandemic-era funding declines and mixes city support with private donors and in-kind contributions to cover program costs.
Council members and staff expressed support for continued partnership; the council noted recent evidence of local impact, including student-led projects such as schoolyard trash audits and composting public service announcements created by students.
OSO's presentation emphasized teacher workshops, grade-specific curriculum updates that address climate literacy requirements, and plans to expand volunteer capacity. The organization asked the council to continue financial and programmatic support to maintain free access for local students.
